Over the last five years, high schools across the country have seen growing interest in career pathway programs. Schools have responded by expanding their curricula to include programs ranging from technology and nursing to the trades and environmental science. These programs offer more than a traditional dual enrollment program, often granting certifications in the various disciplines they explore.

In response to this rapidly growing need, Cardinal Spellman High School began expanding its curriculum to include a career-centered program three years ago. It began with the Health Career Pathways program, in which students earn college credit for nursing and health science classes to use later to become an RN as early as 16 months after graduation. This program was so successful that this year, Spellman is launching a new career pathway in the field of cybersecurity. Spellman sophomores can begin the pathway by taking an AP Cybersecurity course, which will serve as a prerequisite for college-level courses in the junior and senior years.

The course trains students in the field of cybersecurity and closely aligns with standard first-year collegiate courses. Students explore defense-in-depth strategies and learn to address specific vulnerabilities, attacks, mitigations, and detection measures across a variety of domains, including physical spaces, computer networks, devices, applications, and data. The course was developed in partnership with college faculty and industry leaders. By its nature, cybersecurity concerns the storage, processing, and transmission of sensitive data (e.g., proprietary corporate, financial, health care, and educational data). Students will learn the foundational skills needed for this career path.

Alongside the Health Career Pathways Program, this new Cybersecurity Career Pathways Program will offer Spellman students alternatives to the traditional tracks high school students navigate during their time in school. Spellman has benefited from the generosity of several donors who have made gifts to these programs to help offset the additional cost to families. "It is imperative that these programs be made available to students from all socio-economic backgrounds, and we are blessed that some of our donors came forward to make this possible for all students and especially for those students who need assistance in order to enroll in the programs," said Spellman's President Dan Hodes.

Spellman continues to plan strategically for the future expansion of its career pathways programs. Based on student and parent surveys and meetings with local colleges and universities, the school plans to add another pathway as early as next year. Current areas of exploration include business and entrepreneurship, law, and culinary arts, with a focus on developing strong collegiate partnerships and programs that reflect student interest.



AIMEE WETZEL IS ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AT CARDINAL SPELLMAN HIGH SCHOOL.