NJ Cyber Pathways to Cloud Computing

The NJ Cyber Pathways to Cloud Computing project brings together Ocean County College, Raritan Valley Community College, and Rowan College at Burlington County to collaboratively develop and deliver two stackable Cybersecurity certificate programs. These programs were designed to meet industry needs through alignment with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Framework and prepare students for industry-recognized credentials such as CompTIA, Cisco, and Microsoft certifications.

Each certificate includes five courses, for a total of ten 3-credit courses that are offered in three modalities—face-to-face, HyFlex, and asynchronous online—creating flexible access for students. The programs use a secured shared digital repository and are designed for seamless transfer among the three partner institutions. This allows students from any college to complete courses at a partner institution and apply the credits to their home college.

The project also included professional development for faculty, articulation agreements with four-year universities, piloting of courses with students, and the creation of Prior Learning Assessments (PLAs) to support adult learners. By creating cross-institutional pathways, this project is a model for building scalable, industry-aligned cybersecurity education programs across New Jersey.