I think all technical certifications should be CE simply because technology changes rapidly over time. For Server+ (an on-prem server admin certification), things are definitely changing rapidly, especially with CM becoming the norm and a templating requirement for cyber insurance. And for project management, the buzz words are always changing (and you know... you have to keep up with the buzz words...).

I've also noticed that students nowadays want to magically become proficient in a skill without putting in any effort. This could be partly generational (the lost COVID generation from high school), and partly due to societal and technological (AI) changes. But I find there are only 2 types of motivation, and the one that works best today is the one on the right :

Dan.Morrill said:

Yah, but we don't get much of a choice on who we teach, we just have to teach them to the best of our ability. And focus is a thing, do you have any ideas on how to improve focus for students? Could they put on some lo-fi concentration music, maybe from YouTube?

Click to expand...

Excellent remark. You have the play the cards you are dealt. I've taught traditional and non-traditional students in higher education and proprietary schools. From a focus standpoint, you have to meet them where they're at. For me, it asking about their majors or interest in the IT field. During lectures and labs, I've used their interests to zero in on specific areas. Their attention is drawn in and maintained because it ties into current goals, and aspirations.

Has this been closed or still available ?

Rick Butler said:

Not sure how many of you saw this come in through Credly, but it appears that CompTIA is moving these two certifications to the CE model, along with all the others.

I know Server+ was on the fence for a while - whether it was going to remain or go away. Seems like it's here to stay for a while.

Project+, I can kind of see, since the PM world changes a fair bit - perhaps CompTIA thinks this would be a good move to put it in better position for industry recognition - although sadly, PMI will probably always remain the front runner for Project Management certifications within the general industry.

What does the CIN community think about this?

(yeah, I know I've been light on posts lately, but I'll try to do better at that - that is, if y'all missed the Black Fedora)

Rick

Click to expand...

Rick,

When are they moving or has it already occured? I didn't find the information on the CompTIA site, can you share it ?

Edmond Fotso said:

Hi @Stephen Schneiter - I enrolled in and watched the session on-demand within the required timeframe, but I haven't received my SecAI+ voucher yet. Could you let me know who the best point of contact is to look into this? Thanks for your help!

Click to expand...

If not mistaken you have to complete it within 14 days of the last aired date.

Stephen Schneiter said:

Are you ready for the first TTT series of 2026? Join the CompTIA Instructor Network and special guest @Dwayne Natwick as he leads the SecAI+ TTT series. Dwayne will cover the exam objectives and provide hands-on examples as you strengthen your cybersecurity skills. We will discuss how to cover the content with students and suggest various labs to let students gain hands-on experience as they prepare for certification.

CompTIA SecAI+ is the first certification in CompTIA's new expansion series, designed to help you secure, govern, and responsibly integrate artificial intelligence into cybersecurity operations. Gain the skills to defend AI systems, meet global compliance standards, and use AI to enhance threat detection, automation, and innovation while strengthening organizational resilience.

What: CIN TTT Series: SecAI+ V1
When: February 18 - March 9, 2026 (Six sessions), 1:30 - 3:30 PM CDT
Who: Dwayne Natwick
Where: ON24
Register Now

View attachment 2528View attachment 2529

Click to expand...

Hi Stephen, I missed the training but is this available on demand ?

Registered. Looking forward to the training.

Hi Dan,
It's easy to see how this has become a widespread challenge for instructors. Student engagement now requires more than delivering content. It requires relevance. I usually connect lab activities to real job adverts so students can clearly see how each skill is demanded and how it applies in the workplace. By linking labs to actual job descriptions, students shift from passive learning to understanding how their work prepares them for employment. It takes extra effort to do things this way, but it significantly improves motivation, focus, and real-world readiness.

Registered. Thank you!

Dan.Morrill said:

Yah, but we don't get much of a choice on who we teach, we just have to teach them to the best of our ability. And focus is a thing, do you have any ideas on how to improve focus for students? Could they put on some lo-fi concentration music, maybe from YouTube?

Click to expand...

Hi Dan,

I teach college as well and yes, they have trouble focusing. Many of my students are on the spectrum and many have ADD or ADHD, so I feel your frustration. I've some on the spectrum that once they 'get into it' their focus is good; others get so frustrated they quit (mostly because of the theory courses like SAD). In my face-to-face classes when they are doing the labs, I do play concentration music from YouTube. Some I let listen to their own music (as long as they are continuing to work) with headphones or earbuds, but it has to be so that I can't hear it. I've usually learned their habits and abilities by the end of their first semester and know who can listen to their own and who can handle the YouTube music. I play the classics (Mozart, Beethoven, etc); by the third semester they might request music (no lyrics of course) and as long as it's not heavy metal or hard rock, I'll play it. I've also found 'programming' music and other tech concentration music. When there's a challenging lab, we do it as a class (or whoever needs to do it with help).
Hope this helps.

Dan.Morrill said:

Yah, but we don't get much of a choice on who we teach, we just have to teach them to the best of our ability. And focus is a thing, do you have any ideas on how to improve focus for students? Could they put on some lo-fi concentration music, maybe from YouTube?

Click to expand...

I tell them they have two choices:

Focus and work hard, or AI will take your job

I passed the first, second, and third versions of the exam, and my cert is good through 2031, so I think I'll sit this one out.

Yep, we're still going out here. Probably not as much chatter as of late, but I still check in generally once a day, as others do.

Would love to get some more chatter going, of course. Real stuff, not noise...etc etc....

Happy Tuesday masquerading as a Monday (at least for the US and a few other places....)

/r

congrats

I start my class with a slide of two lines.

One line is going into a Food Bank/Homeless Shelter and the other is at a Job fair. I then say your ability to have discipline, focus and finish your education will determine which line your going to stand in.

Gregory Childers said:

If they can't focus, they may not be cut out for this line of work.

Click to expand...

Exactly! Someone with focus will eat their TikTok loving lunch while they watch their videos and complain how long the Food Bank line is...smh

Excited for this, recently passed version 3 myself so be intersted to see the changes.

Gregory Childers said:

If they can't focus, they may not be cut out for this line of work.

Click to expand...

Yah, but we don't get much of a choice on who we teach, we just have to teach them to the best of our ability. And focus is a thing, do you have any ideas on how to improve focus for students? Could they put on some lo-fi concentration music, maybe from YouTube?

Dan.Morrill said:

Hello Everyone,
So I do teach at a couple of colleges, one full-time and one part-time, and both are heavily CompTIA A+, N+, and Sec+. Like all colleges I've seen lately, it's all Cengage and Jill West all the time.
If this forum is still alive and anyone is interested, do you want to compare notes?

The biggest challenges I'm seeing right now are having students do the labs, which can take 20 minutes to an hour (ACI Labs), depending, and in a world of TikTok-induced ability to focus, that might be an issue.

If not, just saying Hi!
Dan

Click to expand...

If they can't focus, they may not be cut out for this line of work.

My A+, Network+, Security+, CySA+, PenTest+, and SecurityX expire in 2031.

Golf courses, both domestically and globally, use more water than data centers. Agriculture uses 5300 times more water than data centers.

It's not about water. It's about hype.

Yay!

Hi Dan! I'm alive and would love to compare notes

Gregory Childers said:

AI , the cloud, and datacenters are not going away, regardless of their opinions. They can either embrace the technology or be left behind in the workplace.

Click to expand...

I hear you, and for the most part, I agree (though I teach one class that has students from a wide variety of industries, and some of them genuinely do have a choice in the matter--for now). As @jason_wood pointed out, students also have some valid concerns that deserve to be addressed. I'm a research geek and can throw all kinds of authoritative sources at the conversation if needed. I guess I'm more curious how other instructors are handling these conversations with students and what points they've been able to make that help to settle their concerns... if that's even possible. When there are data centers being built within my students' own communities, they can bring some pretty strong emotions--and also well-thought-out arguments--to the conversation.