Interesting thread, I am halfway looking as well, although I think I would be a better fit somewhere on the management side, I have my A+/Net+/Sec+ and was looking to take my Windows Sever 2008 exam, and my BS is in Management Studies.
The jobs the ads you started the thread about were actually talking about the teachers they hired to teach the cyber security courses. Now they want you to pay for the courses to pay the teachers.
Interesting thread, I am halfway looking as well, although I think I would be a better fit somewhere on the management side, I have my A+/Net+/Sec+ and was looking to take my Windows Sever 2008 exam, and my BS is in Management Studies.
I thought I would chime in here since I have supported DoD contractors for the last 18 years. "Cyber" means all things to all people and as such, it can mean nothing. There are multiple missions that are cyber related and the level of security clearance will depend upon the government customer. Most of the operating systems in my world are Linux and Unix - there are very few positions that are looking for Windows. The CISSP and other assorted certifications will have value on the defensive side (frequently referred to as Information Assurance) and also with the appropriate level(s) of network/computer security. I look for mostly TS/SCI w/polygraph for the positions and contracts which I am supporting and most (but not all) is software development. If you can get into a company whose clearance level is Secret (which is a paper clearance), you may be able to at least move within the company to get sponsored for a higher level of clearance. Job fairs held in the Columbia area are almost always looking for a polygraph. Technical job fairs in Virginia can vary in terms of the level of clearance as there are far more customers (govt) on the other side of the river as well as in DC. Feel free to PM me and if I can assist then I will be happy to do so.