Hi everyone,

I hope you’re all having a great week.

I am currently trying to map out some lesson plans for the new CompTIA CompCerts (Certificates of Competency) series, but I'm having trouble finding the official course outlines.

Specifically, I am looking for the detailed curriculum/syllabus outlines for:

• a+ Cyber
• AI Prompting Essentials
• (And any other current Essentials / CompCert offerings)

I’ve done a search through the portal/website but haven't had any luck locating them yet.

Could anyone point me in the right direction or share the specific path/link where these are typically hosted?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Hi everyone!

I was not able to receive the CertMaster voucher/access codes for both SecAI+ and CySA+.

For SecAI+, I attended the training through the on-demand sessions, and I saw that @Stephen Schneiter mentioned that learners should receive the access code after completing the first session, even for on-demand learners. I already completed the sessions, but I have not received the email yet.

For CySA+, I attended the first day live session, but I also have not received the CertMaster voucher/access code.

May I kindly ask if the voucher/access codes are sent automatically after attendance is recorded, or if they can be resent directly?

I would appreciate your help on this. Thank you!

Hi All,

I originally obtained my Security+ Certification in July 2020 with the SY0-501 version. Three years later, in 2023, I renewed it using the CertMaster CE product for security+ at the time. Now, it's renewal time again. I would like to ask some clarifications because some of the official info is a little conflicting.

In this information page about CertMaster CE:


It specifically mentions SY0-601 or earlier.

However, in the actual product page:


All the way to bottom where the CE Product is, there is no mention of or earlier. Only SY0-601 is mentioned by name.

Will I be able to renew my certification using the current CertMaster CE product for Security+? My expiration is on the 24th this July, but I can probably bang it out in a week. Just have to consider the purchase approval process in my company. Any clarifications are welcome.

Hello CIN'ers! Is anyone having troubles activating exams on the CompTIA side? All courses are working fine for me except Certmaster Network+. All tabs work except "custom quizzes" Seems to be a credentials-related issue by the error message.
I did all the basic support stuff, logged fully out and then back in etc.

If it persists more than a few hours I will reach out to CompTIA Support. Just curious if others are having this issue.

I wanted to share a success story based on my experience in the last 7 years teaching. Maybe it will inspire those facing challenges ahead or maybe you've already "checked out" looking at the wall of text?

In 2019, I visited my dad who taught welding at a CTE high school for several years. I never had the opportunity to leave work and see his shop. It was the last day of the school year that year. The principal pulled me aside and informed me that the IT instructor put in his letter of resignation that morning. He joked that I should apply, after hearing what I do through my dad. I asked to see the classroom and well...it was in shambles. Poor guy was teaching IT as it was 20 years ago. Most equipment was straight from the early 00s and even the 90s. Few "modern" desktops with DDR3 with poor cable management. There were piles of junk everywhere. Nothing was organized. Most of the desktops weren't in working condition.

I was content at the time. I was the Director of Technology for a private school district. I worked 15 minutes from home. Something tugged in my heart that this school needed me to turn it around. It was a dying program. Students weren't getting certified and it was in danger of being removed from the school. I was happy with the amount of funding it received. I saw that it had good "bones" to build on. My family thought I was crazy but I left my current position and decided to teach the Cisco IT Networking Academy program at the CTE school...an hour and 45 minutes away. Yes, I had to return to college. Yes, it wasn't comfortable but this was something I CHOSE to do.

Original program format
Name: Cisco IT Networking Academy
Courses: IT Essentials (S1 11th grade), NDG Linux Essentials (S2 11th grade), CCNA: Routing & Switching I (S1 12th grade), and CCNA: Routing & Switching II (S2 12th grade)
Curriculum: NONE
Max class size: 22 made up 50% merit (first choice + good grades) and 50% lottery (could be 2nd or third choice, didn't make it based on merit)
Block schedule: A day (12th grade) and B day (11th grade) schedule. 9:50AM-1:50PM every day, alternated
Certifications offered: From what I gathered, students only completed CompTIA A+ exams. It was required in their junior year.

I was told to look into Cisco NetACAD by the administration. The university we were accrediated through demanded that I take 3 courses with them in order to receive access to the Cisco curriculum. It was a face-to-face only course which required me to drive an hour and 45 minutes to work, an hour to take the course, and then 2 hours (not including traffic + tolls) home. That's asinine! She did give me temporary access to it so I could download PowerPoint but within my first hour of reading it, I found enough blatant typos and misinformation that made me want to avoid it altogether. It was NOT good.

I connected with the small amount of students I inherited (8 seniors survived + 22 incoming juniors) and established trust. The seniors failed my competency check of A+ objectives. None of them were certified or took the certification exam, despite it being required in their junior year. The juniors were still under the impression that this was an "easy A" and could sleep all day. Seniors shared that they did a lot of Packet Tracer but the app didn't work most of the time. They also made lots of CAT5e cables, repetitvely. I ended up building the plane in the air and focused on giving them real-world experience. We fixed all the desktops, rearranged the classroom, organized it in a way that it made sense, and...COVID hit. The momentum stopped. No certification tests were taken. They were all waived of taking exams that year.

Despite being an odd year, I knew exactly what I needed to do. A roadmap was developed. I formed a Program Advisory Council, shared my findings, and they supported me in fighting the state to change how my program was formatted. It took two years to get it right but we got it done! The result:

Name: IT Networking Academy (Cisco)
Courses: IT Networking I (S1 11th grade), IT Networking II (S2 11th grade), and IT Networking III (Year-long 12th grade)
Curriculum: Started with CompTIA CertMaster Learn + Labs later migrated to CompTIA TestOut Pro
Certifications offered: CompTIA A+ Core 1 for IT Networking I (optional), A+ Core 2 for IT Networking II (optional), and Security+ for IT Networking III (required to take)

In addition, these are the changes I made over the last 7 years (COVID did slow down progress a bit):

• Turned one closet to a server room with a floor-to-ceiling network rack. Installed cabinets and shelving to make it student accessible. This is where students "shop" for all of their tools, parts, consumables, peripherals, etc.
• Turned another closet into a colocation for senior equipment. There are multiple network racks. Students install their rack-mounted routers, switches, APs, and servers and access them over SSH from their desks in the classroom. Messed up? Fix it the old fashioned way by grabbing laptop and a console cable!
• Established an entire air-gapped LAN. Created a domain network for obvious reasons. Established multiple server hosts running many virtual machines for educational purposes.
• Established a simulated "WAN" using a public subnet. All senior racks connect to the WAN so they can access my classroom LAN over VPN. They can also host and port forward their own network services from their own LANs. I give students dedicated time to work on "passion projects" to learn about installing and hardening public services. They have an absolute blast with this! I also set up a "public DNS" server so they learn how proper DNS works and create domains. Every senior gets their own "WAN-hosted" Linux VM, in addition to whatever they host locally in their private subnet.
• Built new PCs over time to offer 1:1 desktops for students so they can be their own local admins on the air-gapped LAN. Now all support Windows 11.
• Installed a laptop cart that dual boot between Windows 11 and Backbox Linux. I chose Backbox because the district IPS has a cow when it detects a Kali machine on their network but doesn't care about Backbox.
• Created a number of classroom websites and systems:
  • Custom developed a help desk game where students have to respond to client emails within a certain amount of time to earn points. It has a points shop where students can exchange points for "sabotages" to send to other students (such as ransomware, denial-of-service attacks, etc.) to slow them down. Students can choose the content domain when they join the game.
  • Custom developed several other gamification sites that help students with more difficult content, such as: subnet math, keyboard shortcuts, commands, etc. each game has some type of leadboard to encourage friendly competitions.
  • Custom developed several other "serious" learning systems, such as: a mobile device management system (simulates connected devices) with a built-in assessment system, subnet management, etc.
  • Self-hosted CTFd system primarily used by seniors.
  • Self-hosted help desk (based on Frappe) where I assign real tickets for students. They receive a marking period grade for their participation in their "help desk apprenticeship" for the school. I use this as a real-world training tool and coach them on professionalism and communication.
  • A number of custom-created vulnerable web apps, services, and services.
• Worked with local businesses and received quality donations such as a large format printer (which I used to create custom classroom posters), 65" large format display (updated every day with content with a Raspberry Pi), Sharp copier, etc.
  • Employers also partnered up so we can become a feeder program for employment.
• Periodically create red vs blue (cyber range) activities for seniors where I set up a room divider and they compete against each other (a class favorite).
• Started participating in SkillsUSA. Last year my kids earned gold in Cyber Security and Internet of Things (Smart Home) and competed at nationals!! We placed 4th overall in the nation for Cyber Security!
• Subscribed to Pear Deck to help make class lectures more engaging and Gimkit for gamified practice assessments
• Slowly developed several custom practice exams for A+ and Security+ in addition to what's offered in TestOut Pro and Practice (an option for students to purchase)
• My own "professor messer"-style study notes for all courses to compliment the textbook and to meet accommodation needs.

The result? Well...

This year we broke another program record with 13 of 18 senior students earning their Security+ and 14 of 20 students (only 16 took the exams) earning their A+! I couldn't be more proud of my kids. It's so cool to see them get EXCITED to learn new things in class, get jobs, or get accepted to great colleges/universities. That's what gives me the fuel to keep going!! It's been an absolute blur but I guess time flies when you're having fun!! I wouldn't be able to do any of this if it wasn't for a supportive administration that truly believes in their faculty! If you have the support, the passion, and ambition, YOU can do it!

Hi All,

It has been a while since I used CertMaster, and I'm a little bit confused as to the inclusion/integration of the laboratory aspect. I can distinctly remember being able to launch Virtual Laboratory environments in CertMaster Learn for both A+ and Security+, but much has changed since then (I think this was around 2022, give or take a few years). I've been looking at the product pages and even used the chatbot, but can't get the answer I'm looking for.

Basically, my company is looking into these Certifications:

1. A+ (both cores)
2. Network+
3. Security+
4. Server+
5. Tech+

If we bought just the CertMaster product, which ones would also have an integrated laboratory? For example, in the product page of Network+, it has the following bullet point

• Extensive practice: Engage with simulated labs, assessments, and questions to reinforce your learning.

So I would assume Network+ CertMaster Learn does have an integrated lab, and there is no need to purchase the standalone laboratory. Is this the same case for the others listed?

Hi Guys,
I have passed both the CompTIA A+ and Network+ exams, which gives me the stackable certificate for CIOS (CompTIA IT Operations Specialist). All three certs (CIOS included) are available to download on the CompTIA (cp.certmetrics.com) certification site. The A+ is the current 220-1201 and 220-1202 and the Network is the N10-008 (which is valid until November 2027). I have received my A+ and Net+ badges on Credly, but I have not received and invitation to collect the CIOS badge. Is there something else I have to do to obtain this badge.
I have contacted Credly support, who instructed me to contact CompTIA support. I contacted CompTIA support, who directed me to a like to the site that explains what "Stackable Certs" are...
If anyone could shed some light on this I would appreciate it.

I'm more than happy to tell everyone that I passed the A+ core 1 and 2! Thank you @Stephen Schneiter and the CIN for making this happen! Planning to take the A+ exam? focus on gaining skills through the lab exercises. It will give you practical knowledge to answer the PBQs. That's all folks!! =)

Excited to announce that I’ve passed the CNX-001!
Thank you, @Stephen Schneiter and the CIN, for making this possible.

I've been attending a lot of TTT Sessions, and now I'm working through the exams. Just passed A+ Core 1 and 2, Linux+ is next!

Join us for the CIN TTT series covering the new CompTIA AI Fundamentals Compcert course. Our guest instructor, @Jill West, will lead us through the four-session series covering the course objectives and provide hands on examples as you strengthen your AI skills. We will discuss how to cover the content with students and suggest various labs to let students gain hands-on experience using AI safely, effectively, and responsibly.

AI Fundamentals is a credit-bearing, hands-on course designed specifically for the academic market to help institutions teach students how to understand and use artificial intelligence safely, effectively, and responsibly. This three-credit course equips non-technical learners with foundational AI literacy and practical skills that are increasingly required across academic programs and entry-level careers, regardless of major.

What: CIN TTT Series: AI Fundamentals
When: July 13th - July 23rd, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM CT
Who: Jill West, Professor, Georgia Northwestern Technical College
Where: ON24
Register Here

Hi Team,

I was looking to resume learning / study for the CyberDefense Pro v2 courseware.

I do not see this courseware listed.

Anyone experiencing the same, or perhaps a suggestion on what I need to click on / accept / something?

I have created a help ticket, so pending that I may revist this thread and update / advise.

Thanks all!

happy trails!

--chris
Melbourne AUS

My org budgets "premium" training opportunities for IS staff every-other year and this year it's my turn. I have a couple SANS certs (GCIH, GCPN) already and while I love SANS and think they're great, would really like to diversify my skill set.

I've been looking into the possibility of training with other orgs like OffSec, Hack-the-Box, Arcanium, and Antisyphon (a personal favorite). I love HtB but feel like their certs might be too new for industry-wide recognition if I need to look for employment. I hear OffSec is fantastic but very difficult and that Arcanium is great training (but doesn't offer certs).

For those who would start with "depends on what you're looking to do...", I am looking for a mix of great training and ideally would love to add a cert or more to my resume.

I would love to get some advice from those who have experience training with those and/or other orgs please! What are your success or horror stories?

Today I passed the CompTIA SecAI+ (CY0-001). Thank you for the opportunity to learn through the CIN TTT Series and @Stephen Schneiter.

Can I get the CASP+ and PenTest+ on-demand series? Is there any way to get the vouchers for them?

Join us for the CIN TTT series covering the next release of the CompTIA CySA+ certification. Our guest instructor, @Nick Pierce , will lead us through the eight-session series covering the exam objectives and provide hands on examples as you strengthen your cybersecurity analysis 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 Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) is the premier certification for cyber professionals tasked with incident detection, prevention, and response through continuous security monitoring. It validates a tech professional's expertise in incident response and vulnerability management processes, emphasizing the critical communication skills necessary for effective security analysis and compliance.

Skills covered in this series:

• Enhance security operations processes, differentiate threat intelligence and threat hunting, and identify malicious activity using appropriate tools.
• Conduct vulnerability assessments, prioritize vulnerabilities, and recommend effective mitigation strategies for vulnerability management.
• Apply attack methodology frameworks, perform incident response, and understand the incident management lifecycle to handle security incidents effectively.
• Utilize communication best practices to report on vulnerability management and incident response, providing stakeholders with actionable plans and meaningful metrics.

What: CIN TTT Series CySA+ V4
When: June 8 through July 1, 2026, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm CT
Who: Nick Pierce
Where: ON24
Register Here
(Please note, registering will automatically register you for all 8 sessions. You will be able to add each session to your calendar on from the confirmation email.)

Hi everyone, I'd like to know about activating CertMaster Perform using an access key obtained from a CIN TTT Series course — whether it was attended live or accessed on-demand. After adding the institution as "CIN TTT Series," I'm unable to enroll in a class under the instructor assigned to that course. I keep getting the message: "This teacher has no active classes."

For example, I currently have access to CySA+ V4 but can't join Nicholas Pierce's class. Similarly, for the on-demand SecAI+ V1 course, I'm unable to join Dwayne Natwick's class, and the same issue occurs with Data+ V2 taught by Frederick Anaafi.

This is my first time using CertMaster Perform, so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. @Stephen Schneiter — or anyone who knows the answer — could you please help clarify? Thank you!

Hello everyone / Bonjour à tous,

(Français)Je suis à la recherche d'un formateur certifié pour animer une session de formation CompTIA Server+ en ligne pour Soracert.

Détails de la mission :

• Modalité : En ligne (Virtual Instructor-Led Training)
• Durée : 4 jours
• Période : 1ère ou 2ème semaine de juillet
• Langue : Francophone de préférence (les profils anglophones sont également les bienvenus).

(English)I am currently looking for a certified instructor to deliver an online CompTIA Server+ training session.

Mission Details:

• Format: Online (vILT)
• Duration: 4 days
• Timing: 1st or 2nd week of July
• Language: French preferred (English-speaking instructors are also welcome).

Si vous êtes disponible ou si vous avez des recommandations, n'hésitez pas à me contacter / If you are available or have any recommendations, please feel free to reach out directly:

• Email : [email protected]
• LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/degaulbanza/

Merci d'avance ! / Thank you in advance!

Hi everyone! I am not a new teacher, but I am new to teaching IT classes. I've taught math mostly and some PLTW computer science/programming-focused courses the last several years. Our district realized that while our community has very little need for programmers, we have a tremendous need for IT workers in all sectors. Additionally, new dual credit partnerships with the local community college have come in and out with PLTW and in with CompTIA! The district actually purchased TestOut licenses, but...

This year I will have 3 levels of IT classes - the classes were determined by the District and Community College
Year1: Tech+ (and other intro to computers skills MS Office suite, HTML)
Year2: A+
Year3: Net+ (1st sem) and Linux+ (2nd sem)

I am still relatively new to the world of IT myself - I took my A+ Cert last with the students! I do have some experience and interest in the IT world, but I am more broad than deep. I plan to do the same route for certification this year with Net+ and Linux+, but I am looking for suggestions from the more experienced teachers that might be here as to how best to run the "day to day" with my students.

Do you use digital notebooks? Do you use CertMaster (or another program)? Last year I showed videos from TestOut, pausing them for discussions and connections, but students filled out guided note sheets that I created. The notes followed the videos and then forced them to scavenger hunt the "text". It was a ton of work for me, but it did work well.
What works well for you?

I also want my students to have some hands-on and authentic experiences, but I do not have much in the way of resources. My 1st year students always take apart and reassemble old computers and laptops - they don't work however. For A+, I gave my students a box of parts and had them assemble the computer as a review, but they were the same old computers my first years use. I also had my A+ students last year make patch cables and test them. I am absolutely looking for any other low-cost, easy-to-implement hands-on labs/activities.

Finally, this year I should have access to 20-ish working computers obsoleted from the district, but they have been completely erased - NO Windows OS, and I am not allowed to reconnect them to the district network. Aside from installing Linux on them (which is very likely) are there any free resources you would suggest I put on them? Ultimately, these older laptops will probably have to serve my classes for several years - and I want them secured so that I can do that, but I also need some ideas of what I can actually DO with them.

Thank you all for reading through this and for any help and suggestions you might offer!

Thanks for all the good seminars, but I did get 3 scenario questions on the test, that were pretty cool. Just FYI on that one. In case you're teaching this.
Danker!
Dan

From now on ward this is where i will be posting Birthday Celebrant

Hey all! I was curious if anyone has any solution suggestions for replacement of a penetration testing/threat modeling (overall-security) reporting tool? Ideally, something that would work with BurpSuite and/or integrate with Prisma or any other vulnerability documentation repos is best.

Thanks in advance!!

Hello CompTIA Community!

I’m excited to join this community and connect with professionals, educators, and learners who are passionate about the future of technology.

My focus has always been on helping people make technology practical, approachable, and meaningful. As an IT educator, I enjoy helping students build confidence through hands-on learning, real-world problem solving, and continuous skill development.

I’m especially interested in how Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, networking, and automation are changing the way we learn and work in IT.

I look forward to sharing ideas, learning from this community, and connecting with others who are helping prepare the next generation of technology professionals.

What IT skill do you think will become the most important for professionals to develop in the next few years?

I have reported to LinkedIn almost 1000 times about scammers coming from India or the Philippines sending connect requests to myself and countless others in my network offering 100% guarantee's to pass exams. Here is the problem that really needs the CIN involvement from CompTIA because I see NO ONE talking about it on this side of the fence. LinkedIn is doing absolutely nothing and what is horrible and shameful is there is a bustling market and as hard as I work my butt off daily to study. I think EVERYONE should be required to take the exam HONESTLY. I know we have all of these written bylaws but criminals and their customers don't give a crap about rules.

1. Enable Geolocation exam scheduling. If a person's address is in Baltimore, Maryland or Philadelphia, PA. They should not be able to have a exam pass on their exam center from India, Shanghai, China or a foreign country outside of the US. The same is vice versa for someone sitting in Nairobi, Kenya with an exam center in Pakistan or India.

2. Focus on Practical questions in a higher density 80/20 versus multiple choice exams where brain dumps are common from unscrupulous vendors. I have reported even US based exam centers where I was asked if I wanted to pass some CompTIA or ISC2 exams. What was even more surprising is the same exam center was still open and I know they were doing this scam. I know it is a business and they have to be "caught", but if you see a ridiculous amount of exam passing in the same center. Their should be pattern verification and validation. This is not rocket science.

3. Cheaters will always find a way. I get it, but seriously. If we want employers and industry to take CompTIA exams dead serious. I would question why we don't make it more challenging for scammer companies or cheaters who profit off of the CompTIA name and exam brands.

4. Identify the exam center by name and location ON THE CERTIFICATION VALIDATION PORTAL. That is the #1 way to put a nail slammed shut on the scammer. If the exam center location is printed on the Certificate itself AND in the portal of the Certification validation portal. It literally shames people into taking their own dang exam and it disincentivizes the scammers whole business model of anonymity. CompTIA could lead the industry to doing such a simple change by adding a line to the certification exam with the location of the exam center where a person took the exam. Remote proctored exams should identify the city, state or country the exam was proctored.

5. "Login and take the exam for you" scams which has become the most common. Work with Pearson Vue to block all remote session ports during the exam and common remote software which will be a running process on the machine. If a person's machine flags. Require them to report to a local onsite exam center instead of just cancelling the exam.

Thoughts?

Hello seasoned Instructors out there, I have been tasked to teach N+ in 5 days, and it looks like the curriculum needs two weeks to fully cover it all. How are you managing to fully cover the curriculum in 5 days. Please can you share your approach.