You're already doing the work.
It's time the title and paycheck caught up.
Whether you're already working in IT and ready to specialize, or looking for a career with real stability and income potential — this program gets you certified, supported, and job-ready.
A live, instructor-led cybersecurity training program in Tampa Bay that takes you from foundations to cyber defense in 180 hours. Earn three CompTIA certifications — Security+, CySA+, and PenTest+ — in the right order, with real instructors who have practical cybersecurity experience.
- Live online — no pre-recorded videos
- Max 12 students per class
- 3 exam vouchers + retake assurance
- Career planning & job strategizing with a certified career coach
- Workforce grant, VR & VA funding accepted
- Recorded sessions for 24/7 review
From doing the work
to being recognized for it.
Whether you're already handling security tasks without the title, or trying to break into cyber from scratch — most people in this position aren't lacking the intelligence. They're lacking the credential and the structured path to prove what they know, or build what they don't have yet.
Stuck in the cybersecurity gap
- Already handling tickets, patching, access requests, or incident triage — but nothing on paper to show for it
- Watching less-experienced but certified coworkers get the promotion or the offer
- Filtered out by ATS systems and job postings that require Security+ specifically, regardless of what you can actually do
- Studying alone with scattered YouTube tutorials and no structured path
- Job applications going unanswered — no certification, no portfolio, no structure
Equipped and recognized for cyber defense work
Real jobs. Real salaries.
Real paths in Tampa Bay.
SOC Analyst
SOC Analysts monitor security alerts, investigate suspicious activity, and respond to threats in real time. They're the front line of cyber defense — triaging events, escalating real attacks, and protecting the business 24/7.
- Threat detection & alert triage
- SIEM & log analysis workflows
- Incident response procedures
- Security monitoring fundamentals
Vulnerability Assessor
Vulnerability Assessors identify weaknesses, validate findings, and help organizations prioritize fixes that actually reduce risk. They translate scan output into clear, business-ready remediation guidance.
- Vulnerability scanning & validation
- Risk prioritization (CVSS)
- Remediation tracking & reporting
- Cloud, network, host risk review
Penetration Tester
Penetration Testers think like attackers to find weaknesses before real adversaries do. Entry-level pen testers support scoping, reconnaissance, vulnerability discovery, and reporting on real engagements.
- Pen testing workflow & methodology
- Reconnaissance & exploitation concepts
- Ethical hacking fundamentals
- Professional reporting & debriefs
Salary ranges reflect publicly available Tampa, FL data for entry-level to mid-career roles (ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, Salary.com — 2026). Actual compensation varies by employer, experience, security clearance, and additional skills. Certification does not guarantee employment.
Your military experience already speaks this language. Now get the credential that proves it.
If you've worked in IT, communications, or intelligence in the military, you already understand more about cybersecurity fundamentals than most people starting from zero. What's often missing isn't the knowledge — it's a civilian credential that translates it.
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DoD 8570 already requires Security+ for many military IT roles — if you've worked in this space, you've likely encountered this requirement before. This program gets you the same credential for the civilian side.
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VA Education Benefits may cover this program — ask us on your strategy call whether your benefit applies here.
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We help with the translation gap — résumé and LinkedIn support is built to reframe your military experience in terms Tampa employers recognize immediately.
Foundations → Defense → Offense.
Three CompTIA certifications taught in the order that actually builds career-ready skills. No guesswork, no jumping ahead.
Foundation
Core cybersecurity concepts, threat awareness, risk management, and secure network design.
Defense & Response
Threat detection, security monitoring, vulnerability management, and incident response workflows.
Offensive Skills
Ethical hacking workflow, vulnerability discovery, exploitation concepts, and professional reporting.
How this compares
to other cybersecurity training in Tampa.
Most cybersecurity training options in Tampa fall into two camps: video subscriptions or multi-year degree programs. Here's where ACT fits.
| Option ASelf-paced video courses | RecommendedACT Cyber Defense Program | Option BCollege degree / 4-yr program | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to job-readyHow quickly you can apply | 12+ months avg. | ~6 months (180 hrs) | 2–4 years |
| Live instructor supportReal humans, not just videos | Forums only | CompTIA Certified instructors | Mixed quality |
| Industry certificationsWhat employers actually look for | Pay separately | 3 exam vouchers + retake assurance | Optional |
| Career coachingRésumé, interview, job search | None | Certified career coach | Generic career center |
| Class sizePersonal attention | 1,000s of strangers | Max 12 students | 100+ per lecture |
| Workforce grant / VR / VA fundingWorkforce funding eligible | Not eligible | All accepted | Pell only |
Workforce grant, VR, and VA funding may be available depending on your employment status and county — we'll confirm your eligibility on your strategy call.
Everything you need to finish
— ALL included.
No surprise add-ons. No upsells. Everything below is part of your cybersecurity training program enrollment.
Live, instructor-led online classes on Microsoft Teams. Ask questions in real time. No pre-recorded shortcuts.
Exam vouchers for Security+, CySA+, and PenTest+ — each with retake assurance included so you can test with confidence.
Every live class recorded. Rewatch difficult topics, reinforce learning, or catch up if you miss a session.
Practice labs, quizzes, and exam prep tools that build real skills — not just exam memorization.
Individual mentoring by appointment. Stuck on something? Book time with your instructor and work through it.
Career planning and job strategizing with a certified career coach — résumé reviews, LinkedIn optimization, interview prep, and salary negotiation.
Your cybersecurity training in Tampa
is taught by a real practitioner.
Your instructor isn't a full-time content creator. He holds advanced cybersecurity certifications and brings real-world experience protecting enterprise infrastructure into every class.
Craig Taylor
Craig has worked in cybersecurity operations, established incident response teams, and authored governance policies aligned with ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2, NIST, and ITIL frameworks. His career spans defense, public sector, and private industry — and he brings that practical cybersecurity experience into every class.
"I built ACT because the typical path into IT — self-paced videos and untested certs — doesn't actually prepare students for Tampa employers. This program does. We cap classes at 12, hire instructors who've done the work, and stay involved until you're working."
180 hours, three tracks,
taught in the right order.
Click any track below to see exactly what you'll learn. Every module is aligned to CompTIA's current exam objectives.
01
CompTIA Security+ — FoundationSY0-701 · 60 hours · Track 1 of 3
60 hrs
Build job-ready skills in threat identification, risk management, secure network defense, IAM, incident response, and foundational forensics. The foundation every cybersecurity career is built on.
02
CompTIA CySA+ — Defense & ResponseCS0-003 · 60 hours · Track 2 of 3
60 hrs
Develop the practical SOC analyst skill set — threat detection, security monitoring, vulnerability management, and incident response. The daily workflow of modern security operations.
03
CompTIA PenTest+ — Offensive SkillsPT0-002 · 60 hours · Track 3 of 3
60 hrs
Learn the penetration testing workflow end-to-end — scoping, recon, vulnerability scanning, testing techniques, and professional reporting. Includes a final pen-testing project.
Is this program right for you?
We'd rather have an honest conversation now than enroll someone who isn't ready.
This is for you if…
This isn't for you if…
Cybersecurity training Tampa — your questions answered.
If you have a question that isn't here, ask us on your free strategy call.
How long does the whole program take?
The Cyber Defense pathway is 180 clock hours total, taught across three CompTIA tracks (Security+, CySA+, PenTest+). Most students complete the full pathway over roughly 6 months depending on cohort timing and schedule.
Each individual track typically runs about 3–4 weeks per cohort, with cohorts scheduled monthly. You can also enroll in tracks individually if you'd rather space them out.
Do I need prior IT experience to enroll?
You should be comfortable with basic Windows PC use, Internet browsing, and basic computing concepts. You don't need prior cybersecurity experience — that's what this program is for.
If you're completely new to IT, we may recommend our Information Technology Career Prep program first. We'll help you figure out the right starting point on your free strategy call.
Is this online, in-person, or hybrid?
Classes are delivered live online (synchronous) on Microsoft Teams. You attend scheduled sessions in real time, ask questions, and get guided instruction — just like a classroom.
All live sessions are recorded for 24/7 review. VA-benefit students have separate in-person attendance requirements per federal guidelines.
What equipment do I need?
You'll need a Windows PC, reliable Internet, and ideally dual monitors. Before Day 1 we run a mandatory onboarding session to install required software and walk you through Microsoft Teams and the learning platform.
Can I use workforce grant, VR, or VA funding?
Access Computer Training works directly with workforce grant programs, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), VA Education Benefits (including Post-9/11 GI Bill® and Chapter 31), and CareerSource.
Eligibility depends on your employment status and county, so on your strategy call we'll walk through exactly what you may qualify for.
What if I don't pass a CompTIA exam?
Your program includes retake assurance with each exam voucher. You'll also have continued access to your instructor for targeted prep, plus the recorded class sessions for review.
Does ACT guarantee job placement?
No legitimate training provider guarantees employment. What we provide is career planning and job strategizing — résumé writing, LinkedIn optimization, mock interviews, and Tampa-area job search strategies — with a certified career coach.
Let's find out if cybersecurity
is the right move for you.
On a free 15-minute call, we'll learn about your goals and experience, then help you understand which training path makes sense, what support is included, and whether you may qualify for funding. The goal is clarity on your next step — not pressure to enroll.
- Clarity on which program fits
- Funding eligibility check
- Schedule that fits your life
- No pressure to commit
