How I Got Sec+ Certification With a Fraction of the Cost

As a tech enthusiast interested in investigation and problem-solving, I found myself drawn to a career in cybersecurity. It was one of the most rewarding career fields today, with many opportunities and good pay. The only problem was that I had no professional IT experience or anything closely related to information security. I was working an entry-level job in a career field that didn’t interest me. I knew the CompTIA Sec+ certification was an excellent place to start. (CIO, 2022) I had heard that it was a good course and that many cybersecurity workers got their foot in the door after earning a CompTIA Sec+ cert. But then I had to see if it was something I could even afford to do.

I learned all the direct costs of pursuing a CompTIA Sec+ cert. I found out what could include buying a Sec+ study guide, the cost of the course, paying for practice exams, and exam fees. Frankly, I didn’t think I could afford a Sec+ cert then.

Thankfully, when doing my Sec+ research, I found another certification. This put me on that path to get Sec+ certification with a fraction of the Sec+ cost. If you also want to start a cybersecurity career, but a Sec+ cert seems out of reach, let me tell you my story.

How C|CT Helped Me to Kickstart My Career in Cybersecurity

While learning about all the costs associated with CompTIA Sec+, I came across EC Council’s Certified Cybersecurity Technician (C|CT) course. Right away, I noticed that this course can be completed for a fraction of the Sec+ cert. However, I had to dig a little deeper to see if it would help me gain an entry-level job in cybersecurity.

As I looked into it more, I was pleasantly surprised. The C|CT is focused on building multi-domain, hands-on technical skills. Unlike other entry-level cybersecurity programs, the C|CT course touches on everything an information security professional needs to know. While some other courses focus solely on ethical hacking, network security, digital forensics, or risk management. The C|CT covers all of these topics and a lot more,

But what caught my eye was the hands-on nature of the C|CT course. Some other Sec+ cert alternatives seemed overly focused on learning theoretical concepts. I wanted to take a

course that would let me practice in real-world scenarios. And I was impressed with the number of labs and other practical exercises in the C|CT.

My Journey into Cybersecurity: Discovering the C|CT Course

The quest for an entry-level certification led me to the Certified Cyber Technician (CCT) course. Little did I know that this choice would be the catalyst for my career in cybersecurity, offering a comprehensive foundation and hands-on experience that set the stage for what was to come.

C|CT’s Role in Kickstarting My Career

The C|CT course proved to be a game-changer, equipping me with multi-domain foundational skills essential for success in the cybersecurity field. Its emphasis on hands-on experience prepared me for the challenges ahead, laying the groundwork for a fulfilling career in this dynamic industry.

The C|CT Advantage – Building Multi-Domain Foundational Skills

The C|CT certification offers a myriad of benefits. From engaging in Capture the Flag exercises to 85 labs designed to build technical skills, the performance-based exam format ensured that I understood the concepts and could apply them effectively in real-world scenarios. With every new concept I learned, a CTF helped me sharpen my critical thinking skills while using my knowledge to gain practical experience. EC-Council’s Cyber Range was also a great way to gain experience. Unlike other courses that rely on simulations, the Cyber Range let me try my new skills with real attack systems and live targets.

How C|CT Paved the Way for Sec+ Certification

One of the remarkable aspects of the CCT journey was its seamless transition into the Security+ (Sec+) certification. Through a detailed course comparison, I discovered that all the content covered in Sec+ was not only included in the C|CT curriculum but surpassed it with additional insights and learnings. The Sec+ and C|CT modules overlap and share a similar learning approach. Both feature a general introduction to cybersecurity in the beginning before moving into network security concepts. You learn about network protocols, vulnerabilities and how they’re exploited, encryption, and some of the best practices. And then, whether you’re pursuing a Sec+ cert or the C|CT, you’ll dig further into cyber threats and attacks. You’ll learn about common attack methodologies like malware, social engineering, and incident response best practices. This naturally leads to learning about risk management, security tools, and technologies and how to use them in the real world effectively.

Both courses help you learn all this and more through practical, hands-on labs. After reading a Sec+ study guide, it finally hit me: I was fully prepared to take the Sec+ certification exam. The CCT course had fully equipped me to go straight to the exam and earn my Sec+ cert for only a fraction of the cost.

How the C|CT Scholarship Helped Me to Get Sec+ Certification

There’s one important part of my story that I haven’t shared yet. This may be the most critical point in how C|CT helped me save on Sec+ certification.

The retail cost for C|CT from EC-Council is $999. Back when I was looking at courses to help me kickstart my cybersecurity career, I couldn’t have afforded that any more than I could have afforded the Sec+ cost. Thankfully, I also learned about EC-Council’s C|CT scholarship for cybersecurity career starters.

EC-Council pledges $3.5 million to help people start their cybersecurity career path. That will help approximately 10,000 new cyber professionals enter the industry. With my scholarship, I only had to pay for the exam proctoring and technology fees, which were $199. I earned my first cybersecurity certification for that small investment while preparing for a Sec+ cert.