Welcome to HSOC Cyber!
Not just training…
But a Cyber Proving Ground.
Drop into real cybersecurity systems, tackle real work challenges, build a portfolio employers trust, and become a cyber operator — confident, proficient, and proven.
HSOC Cyber Outcomes Dashboard
A plain-language view of what makes HSOC different: we do real work, on real systems, with real results. Every Fellow builds confidence and proficiency for the workplace — not just test prep, but applied certification training tied directly to real work.
Portfolio Artifacts
Every Fellow produces a professional portfolio demonstrating real-world cybersecurity work.
Mentorship
Direct access to HSOC Team Leads and Mentors — guided, supported learning at every step.
Confidence & Proficiency
Our proprietary Cyber Research & Confidence-Building Model turns objectives into demonstrated, repeatable skills.
Proven Success
We’ve supported hundreds — even thousands — in gaining real experience that advances careers. (We guarantee hands-on experience, not employment.)
*Detailed performance dashboards are shared privately with partners and employers.*
HSOC Timeline
2016
PCCS (Professional Certifications & Consulting Services)
We began by helping individuals earn industry certifications—laying the foundation for skills-first, high-touch training.
2020
HSOC Cyber Internship Program
HSOC Cyber launched the first Internship Program, moving beyond test prep to real systems and project-based training.
2024
HSOC Cyber Skills-First Fellowship Program
The Internship Program evolved into the Skills-First Fellowship, delivering certification-aligned, applied training with employer-trusted portfolios.
2025
HSOC Cyber Internship Program Relaunch
In partnership with Cyber Bytes Foundation and WIOA, HSOC reintroduced the Internship Program, offering paid, grant-funded training on real systems and projects.
From kids to career changers — every learner can enter the HSOC proving ground.
Choose your path: 3, 6, or 12 months. Every track includes team meetings, live missions, direct mentorship, and a portfolio employers can trust.
You'll work on missions covering:
Defensive Operations
Offensive Maneuvers
Governance & Compliance
Special Programs
Industry Certification Mapping: All project work is directly aligned with the knowledge required for leading certifications, including CompTIA, ISC2, EC-Council, and ISACA.
Skills-First Fellowship
Empower homeschool students to spot scams, strengthen digital hygiene, and integrate cybersecurity into daily life - building habits and career-ready skills.
Homeschool Cyber (HSSOC) is curriculum-aligned, designed to help families meet educational requirements while empowering students to spot scams and strengthen digital hygiene. Lessons focus on critical thinking and online safety skills, preparing them for a digital future. We provide resources to integrate cyber topics into daily academics and document progress for annual assessments.
Homeschool Cyber (HSSOC)
Our Programs & Tracks
After-school & summer challenges where teens learn to spot threats, think like defenders, and prepare for cyber careers.
HSOC CyberKids offers engaging, project-based activities for middle and high school students.
They develop critical thinking skills and an essential operator mindset through challenges based on real-world cybersecurity scenarios.
We help build tomorrow's protectors by offering virtual and on-site experiences.
HSOC CyberKids
A second-chance pathway for justice-impacted learners. Build resilience, portfolios, and a future in cybersecurity.
HSOCReset mentors justice-impacted job seekers, equipping them with in-demand technical skills, documented portfolios, and the resilience needed for workforce reentry. This second-chance pathway prepares candidates for modern cyber careers, connecting them with employers ready to hire skilled, dedicated talent.
HSOCReset
One-on-one cybersecurity & IT tutoring in real systems.
HSOC Tutor provides one-on-one, personalized cybersecurity and IT tutoring delivered in real-world systems. Sharpen your skills and achieve your goals with a session led by a seasoned professional with 20+ years of experience. This is training grounded in experience, not just theory.
$99/hour. Spots are limited.
HSOC Tutor
HSOC Partner
You can partner with HSOC Cyber in two ways:
The HSOC Cyber Internship Program, where Interns gain work 20 hours per week for 8 weeks, students are compensated for their time, and WIOA covers the program costs.
Interns leave with experience employers trust, confidence built through HSOC’s proprietary models, and industry-aligned projects that map directly to certifications like Security+, CEH, and Splunk.
HSOC Cyber Projects
Build Your Cyber Portfolio on Real Missions.
At HSOC Cyber, you don't just learn - you perform. Every Fellow builds a professional portfolio through hundreds of real-world missions across defensive, offensive, and governance operations.
Our projects are directly mapped to key industry certifications (e.g., CompTIA, ISC2, EC-Council, ISACA) and backed by customized training, including non-technical work-prep courses for military, educational institutions, and workforce partners.
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SOC Alert Triage: Investigate live alerts using Splunk and Wazuh. Practice MTTD/MTTR metrics and produce incident reports.
Threat Hunting: Proactively search for anomalies in network and endpoint logs. Build hypotheses and validate with data.
Cloud Security Monitoring: Deploy and monitor cloud workloads with SIEM and defensive tooling in AWS/Azure labs.
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Penetration Testing Reports: Exploit real vulnerable systems (VulnHub, internal labs), then write professional-grade reports for stakeholders.
Capture the Flag: Hands-on red team puzzles, privilege escalation challenges, and problem-solving missions in a competitive format.
Cybersecurity Escape Room: Gamified experience where learners must “escape” by solving cyber puzzles and securing systems under pressure.
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Policy & Awareness: Write and implement cyber awareness policies for home, schools, and enterprises. Practice policy rollout and communication.
Risk & Compliance: Map security controls to NIST, ISO, and DoD 8140 frameworks. Conduct mock audits and compliance checks.
Cyber Consulting: Act as a consultant: assess client needs, recommend security controls, and present findings.
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Youth & Homeschool Tracks: Hands-on missions for students to learn scam detection, digital hygiene, and daily-life cybersecurity.
HSOC Reset: Second-chance program for re-entry and justice-impacted learners. Build confidence and career pathways in cyber.
Customized Training: Military, schools, nonprofits, and businesses can request tailored certification or non-technical workforce programs.
What You’ll Need
What You'll Need:
Commitment to attend bi-weekly team meetings:
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30pm to 8:30pm EST
A modern laptop or desktop computer:
Preferred: 32GB or 64GB RAM
Minimum: 16 GB RAM
A positive, proactive attitude with a willingness to take on new challenges
Ability to work independently and collaboratively with teams
Strong time management skills to meet deadlines
Testimonials
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Amber Whyte
"I am proud to say that I have made 2 years within the field of Cyber Security."
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Jonathan Jackson
"At HSOC Cyber, I didn’t just study theory, I applied knowledge in meaningful and practical ways."
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Megan Jaindl
"I engaged in hands-on research and built my own projects from scratch.”
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Andre Harris
"Because of the skills and experience I gained in this internship, I was offered jobs in both business and government. I chose to work for a federal agency."
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Aaron Johnson
"The hands-on projects gave me real-world practice and helped me feel more confident in my skills.”
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Tabitha Nelson Giddings
"The hands-on experience equipped me with the skills I needed to protect my own personal network."
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Joshua Small
"The live team meetings helped me build skills that I couldn't have gained from just reading textbooks."
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Adam Spencer
“I was able to go from a residential sales job to obtaining a Security+ certification, which helped me get my first job in cybersecurity sales.”
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Okeezi
“I enhanced my proficiency in threat detection, incident response, and network defense, solidifying my foundational skills in the field.”
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Qudus Olugbade
"On the first day of my job, I was able to provision a Windows server and perform basic configurations before deploying a solution on the server."
Trusted by Partners & Featured in the Media
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Trusted by Partners & Featured in the Media •
April 9, 2025
"HSOC Cyber Skills-First Fellowship - Certifed by Action, Not Just Paper!"
"HSOC Cyber Skills-First Fellowship - Certifed by Action, Not Just Paper!"
Cyber’s Future Program Featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show
Highlighting a Decade of Impact in Cybersecurity Education
The nationally recognized Cyber’s Future program - co-designed by Dr. Wesley Phillips (HSOC Cyber) and Cheryl Abram (Ypifany.org) in partnership with the non-profit Future Kings - were featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show .
The segment spotlighted Dr. Arik King, Executive Director of Future Kings, and Louis Lee, a standout Cyber’s Future student who began training at just age 12 years old. Now 17, Louis is a cybersecurity professional serving Prince William County and preparing to enter the U.S. Space Force.
Watch the Feature on YouTube: The Kelly Clarkson Show - Future Kings Feature. Skip to 3:45 to hear Louis’ story.
At HSOC Cyber, we’re proud to support programs that prove access + mentorship = limitless potential.
Partner With Us
Embed the HSOC360 Proving Grounds inside your organization with pilot or co-branding.
Launch a pilot in ~30 days
Embed micro-missions inside your curriculum or workforce program
Impact metrics that your leadership understands