CyberTrainingGuide exists because breaking into cybersecurity shouldn’t require guesswork. We cover certifications, career paths, and the real details people need to move forward—without the fluff or sales pitches.
Whether you’re just starting out, switching careers, transitioning from the military, or leveling up in a role you already have, we’ve been where you are. Our guides are written by people who actually passed these exams and work these jobs.
Who We Are
Jenna Carson
Self-taught security pro. No degree, just certs, labs, and a lot of late nights.
I broke into cybersecurity by breaking something in high school and wanting to know why. College wasn’t for me, so I stacked certifications instead—Security+, CySA+, CCNA, a couple Azure and AWS certs, and some forensics ones I grabbed just to prove I could. Everything I know came from home labs, YouTube rabbit holes, and refusing to stop asking questions.
Ryan Grant
Federal cybersecurity through a defense contractor. Cloud security, threat hunting, compliance frameworks.
I studied engineering on the west coast and realized I liked problems that don’t have clean answers. Now I work federal cybersecurity through a defense contractor—cloud security, threat hunting, and all the compliance frameworks that come with government work. I hold Security+, CASP+, CCSP, and AWS Security certs.
Daniel Griggs
Retired Army Chief Warrant Officer. Twenty years in cyber ops. Now in government consulting.
Twenty years doing cyber operations in the Army. Defensive missions, deployed systems, training soldiers to secure networks before they touched anything in production. I lived 8570 and 8140 requirements—readiness, compliance, workforce development, all of it. After retirement, I moved into government consulting helping federal teams figure out what certs they need and how to get there.
What We Cover
Certifications — Honest breakdowns of what each cert actually covers, how to pass, and whether it’s worth your time and money. No vendor cheerleading.
Career Paths — From SOC analyst to CISO, what each role actually looks like, what it pays, and how to get there.
Real Advice — Study tips, test day strategies, and career guidance from people who’ve done it. Not recycled marketing copy.
Why Trust Us
We don’t get paid to recommend certifications. We’re not affiliated with any training providers or testing companies. When we say a cert isn’t worth it, we mean it. When we say one changed our careers, that’s real too.
Everything here comes from experience—ours and the people we’ve worked with over the years. If it helped us, we share it. If it wasted our time, we’ll tell you that too.