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What should I be putting my time towards right now?

As a 12th grader who hopes to pursue a degree and career in cybersecurity, what are a few important skills someone in my position should be developing right now for them to have a smoother transition into their college/career? #Fall25

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Jeff’s Answer

Hi Julian - You ask an excellent question. My suggestion for skills that you will need for a career in cybersecurity would include:

Non-Technical: Called "soft skills", this means that you are good at things like written and spoken communications. This is extremely important for you to be successful in your career. In cybersecurity, it is often said that "the devil is in the details", which means that you need to be able to identify and make distinctions about cybersecurity issues with the people that you work with, so do not underestimate "soft skills".

Technical: There are different areas in the cybersecurity field, some more technical than others. But it will always help you to understand and have a good foundation in the underlying technologies - networking, virtual computing, cloud computing, etc.

Trustworthy: Another "soft skill", it is essential for companies to consider you trustworthy. Do not be tempted to perform unauthorized activities, or to get involved with bad actors.

Value-Add: As appropriate, look for opportunities to go "above and beyond" to do good work. It can help distinguish you from the average worker.

I hope that helps. Best of luck to you.
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Kara’s Answer

If you're a 12th grader planning to pursue a cybersecurity degree and career, the most valuable thing you can do right now is start building a strong foundation in both technical and personal skills. Spend time learning programming languages like Python, get familiar with computer networks and operating systems, and try hands-on practice using online labs or simulations. It also helps to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, because cybersecurity often requires creative solutions to complex problems. Finally, work on your communication and teamwork abilities, as being able to explain ideas and collaborate with others is essential in any tech career. Putting effort into these areas will make your transition into college and your future in cybersecurity much smoother
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Lee’s Answer

I agree with Kara—software development is a valuable skill, and understanding the basics is important. It's also exciting to think about how the industry will evolve, so try to form your own opinions about it. Exploring AI tools can be helpful, especially in areas like cybersecurity and defense. Learning about technology and tools like MS Sentinel and Google Security Operations (Chronicle) can be beneficial. Google Skills and similar platforms offer a lot of free training for everyone. Most importantly, stay curious and experiment at home to understand how these tools and technologies work.
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