The Truth About Cybersecurity Bootcamps: Insights from 4 Years of Mentoring Bootcamps.
Introduction: As someone deeply involved in the cybersecurity field, I feel compelled to shed light on this issue and offer my insights. before anything, I do want to share I got into the tech field without a degree and a certification. Perhaps you are wondering if a cybersecurity bootcamp or any of those “Jumpstart, Fast Paced, Learn in 12 weeks” programs are worth it or just good at marketing a story that seems too good to be true.
Not All That Glitters Is Gold: Cybersecurity bootcamps are often marketed as fast-track solutions to a career in the industry. Having spent close to four years mentoring and tutoring in these bootcamps, I’ve noticed a recurring problem: on average a class out of 40 students…only 3 to 4 actually secure jobs. This raises a crucial question — why do only a few succeed?
The Fast-Paced Dilemma: Bootcamps are designed to be intense and fast-paced, covering a wide range of basic topics such as Linux, networks, SIEMs, Azure, pen testing, governance, risk, compliance, and forensics. While few may thrive in such an environment, many struggle to keep up with the overwhelming workload. The effectiveness of a bootcamp doesn’t largely depends on the instructors, some are seasoned professionals with substantial expertise in the cybersecurity field, while others are coming off from being TA’s. This variation in instructor quality can significantly impact your learning experience.
Limited Support Outside Class Hours: Bootcamp students often have limited access to instructors and teaching assistants (TA’s) outside the scheduled class hours. This lack of support can hinder understanding and mastery of the material. Many times I would Mentor a student and they happened to be very far behind, weeks of material, or we would get into a lesson and a student would say something like “My instructor never explained that”, this is due to the bootcamp timeframe, I have worked with many instructors who wish they could go deeper in topics but the way these bootcamps are structured are through meeting certain timestamps. there is a time tracker associated with every class that either tells the instructor he or she is behind on topic and time.
A Costly Regret: The financial burden of a bootcamp can be substantial, with costs ranging from $10,000 to $15,000. Considering that the acquired certificate may not hold much value in the job market, many graduates find themselves struggling to repay debts while seeking additional certifications like Security+ and Network+.
The Missing Piece: Job Hunt Preparation: Perhaps the most critical aspect many bootcamps neglect is preparing students for the job hunt or even having some type of job placement, Obtaining a completion certificate from these bootcamps does not carry much weight with potential employers. The truth is, most HR departments don’t value these certificates, you are better off pursuing recognized cybersecurity certifications such as CompTIA, (ISC)², SANS, and Offensive Security.
Conclusion: Drawing from my personal experience working with bootcamp graduates, it’s evident that not all cybersecurity bootcamps are as beneficial as they claim to be. Instead of investing heavily in these programs, aspiring cybersecurity professionals may find more value in pursuing self-taught paths through reputable platforms and courses like TCM, Tryhackme, CodeAcademy, WGU, and Udemy (Jason Dions content for passing CompTIA certs such as A+, Network+, and Security +).
Embracing self-learning can save you both financial stress and potential disappointment.
If you have any questions or need guidance on your cybersecurity journey, feel free to reach out to me via Linkedin!
