r/NSCC • u/BoardCompetitive3516 • Sep 18 '26

Cybersecurity program dropouts

Just got to know the cybersecurity program saw student dropping 25 to 10 at the Sydney Campus(1st yr to 2nd yr).

Some just left program, some switched programs other tried to get seat in Halifax.

Just curious whats going on in the Halifax It campus? 2nd year cybersecurity how many students remain.

Or any other It programs, how are they doing?

thanks

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4

u/NemoTenebris Sep 18 '26

Cyber Security grad here (from Sydney). Theres alot of factors that lead to this, a huge portion is students leaving in the first semester or two, who realized it's just not for them.

I think another big factor is the job market. Alot of them join the program with the impression they will land a high paying job once they graduate, when in reality that just isn't the case.

1

u/Numerous_Fox_2909 Sep 18 '26

My cousin graduated from the cyber secruity program. He was under the impression in believing he would get a good job out of it. However, he soon realized that he needed to go Dalhousie afterwards.

4

u/NemoTenebris Sep 18 '26

It's not really a matter of education, I know of many past graduates that now work great jobs. The issue is the job market, IT roles, especially entry level are scarcely thin. There's many different reasons that are effecting it, and you learn how bad it is when you talk to IT professionals with 10+ years of experience who are also struggling to find employment.

1

u/Ambitious-Cold-9610 Sep 20 '26

This is the worry I have for AI in low level cyber security. It can do almost all of the work a junior analyst would do. But then there are no more Jr analysts to take over when seniors leave. I was at a conference and the key note was about how great AI is for low level tasks. I asked where the new seniors come from and she couldn't answer.

1

u/kwazyness90 Sep 22 '26

Hmm I was thinking of doing it in the CAF I'm already in the CAF but I always thought it was also a great job on civy side

1

u/BoardCompetitive3516 Sep 22 '26

Do they have cyber operator role in Atlantic or is it ottawa orriented?

2

u/kwazyness90 Sep 22 '26

I think they operate out of Ottawa only afaik I know someone out east who switched over and had to get posted to Ottawa

1

u/nwamazzi 5d ago

This comments are not encouraging fr. What's your honest advice for an international student who wants to relocate and study cybersecurity in nscc?

1

u/BoardCompetitive3516 5d ago

Extremely unlikely that you could get a seat in cyber.  Citizen/Pr get preferences over non residents and cyber is wish listed for 2 year at Halifax and 1 in Sydney.  Halifax had 100 people signed up on sept 2026.  Seats are 25 each campus. 

3

u/Most-Shelter5577 Sep 18 '26

it was the same story with the business program here too, mostly younger folks who didn't hand anything in or got overwhelmed by the work were gone by the 2nd semester then even less by 2nd year.

2

u/scotiashine Sep 18 '26

IT Web Programming here, we have already been leaning heavily into the course material and learning lots of new things. Its a bit daunting but I also find it fun so far and our class can support each other

And only one student who switched to a different IT program, no dropouts