The National Cyber League is a collegiate offensive and defensive cybersecurity capture-the-flag competition based on the CompTIA Security+ and the NIST NICE framework.

CryptoKait in job interviews when explaining why NCL should count as work experience.

This was always something that I was always extremely proud to say. Oftentimes, my potential employer may not have heard of the National Cyber League (NCL), but everyone in this industry has heard of CompTIA Security+. It’s frequently considered the gold standard for students trying to break into the field.

But earlier this summer, CompTIA helped to take that statement to the next level. Now, NCL is featured on the CompTIA website as a hands-on way to learn cybersecurity skills.

Even better, CompTIA student members who have never played in the NCL Games can receive a discount on their NCL Registrations. If you are new to the NCL Games, there will soon be a new registration page on the CompTIA website where CompTIA student members can register for the whole NCL Season for just $15!

But what I’m most excited about is the prizes. CompTIA has offered NCL Paid Student Memberships and Exam Prep Bundles for NCL to give away as prizes! I can’t wait for top players to take the next steps to move from curriculum to career with the CompTIA Security+ certification. Read more about the NCL Player Ambassador thoughts about this certification here.

But the perks don’t stop at students! CompTIA offers free Train-the-Trainer sessions for all NCL instructors and coaches who join the CompTIA Certified Instructor Network (CIN). These sessions help train coaches on specific CompTIA certifications including CompTIA A+, Security+, CySA+, and more. I recently joined the sessions myself and they are a fantastic resource for NCL Coaches (especially Security+).

And not to be forgotten, tomorrow night (August 13, 2020) at 8pm ET, CompTIA’s Chief Technology Evangelist, James Stanger, will be joining me on the NCL Thursday Night Live Show to hold an AMA where you can ask every question you ever had about the CompTIA certifications, career pathways, and industry trends. This is one show you will not want to miss! But if you do, all Thursday Night Live sessions are pre-recorded and will be available for after-the-fact viewing at the same URL.

And this is just the first pass of the NCL/CompTIA partnership. I’m sure as students continue to find benefit from the collaboration between these two powerhouses for entry level professionals, the partnership and offerings will continue to grow as well. The NCL Player Ambassadors are thrilled to see this long overdue collaboration.

Tell us what you want to see from the NCL/CompTIA collaboration and we will do our best to make this happen!