Faculty of IT · Online, on campus in Kelowna, or blended
Cybersecurity Technician Course: train for a security career in under a year
The CanScribe cybersecurity technician course is an 883 hour, 44 week cybersecurity technician diploma that takes you from IT fundamentals to penetration testing across five stacked CompTIA aligned tracks. You do not need an IT background, a degree, or a diploma to start. You need a Grade 12 diploma or to be at least 19 years old.
Questions? Talk to a Kelowna admissions representative at 250-448-4670
Before You Apply
Cybersecurity is one of the few fields where employers hire on demonstrated skill rather than on the letterhead of your credential. That cuts both ways. It means a career changer with no computer science degree has a genuine path in. It also means the training you choose has to actually cover the ground employers test for, because nobody is going to hire you on the strength of a certificate alone.
The CanScribe cybersecurity technician course was built for that reality. It is 883 hours, which is deliberately long for a private career college program, because covering IT fundamentals, defensive security, threat analysis, and offensive testing properly takes time. It was developed alongside Total Support Solutions, a working IT services company, and aligned to the CompTIA certification pathway that hiring managers already recognize.
Before you fill out an application, three things are worth checking honestly against your own situation. First, the time. Ten and a half months at roughly 22 hours a week is a real commitment, and it sits on top of whatever else your life already contains. Second, the money. At $11,500 this is the largest investment in the CanScribe catalogue, and you should look at the payment plans and funding options in the Tuition tab before you decide. Third, the fit. Security work rewards people who enjoy taking things apart to understand how they fail. If troubleshooting frustrates you rather than interests you, this is worth a conversation with an admissions representative first.
If those three check out, the rest is straightforward. There is no prior IT credential required and no fixed intake date. The only skills requirement is a typing speed of 40 net words per minute, which most people who use a computer daily already meet. You apply when you are ready and you start when you are ready.
Why this cybersecurity technician course is built the way it is
Cybersecurity training in Canada at diploma depth almost always comes with a gate on it. Two year public college technology diplomas want Grade 11 physics and chemistry. Post-degree cybersecurity credentials want a completed science or engineering degree. Advanced certificates want a computing diploma you do not have yet. All of them run on a fixed academic calendar. The CanScribe cybersecurity technician diploma was built to remove those three obstacles at once: diploma level depth, no academic gate beyond Grade 12, and no cohort to wait for.
- Grade 12 diploma or age 19 and up is the whole academic requirement, alongside a 40 net words per minute typing speed. No degree, no IT diploma, no prior certification.
- 883 instructional hours across five stacked security tracks rather than a single introductory certificate.
- Competency based progression. You advance when you can demonstrate the skill, and you can challenge unit tests and exercises more than once.
- Open enrolment year round. There is no September intake to wait for and no cohort to keep pace with.
- Study online from anywhere, on campus in Kelowna, or blend the two.
- Built in conjunction with Total Support Solutions, a working IT services provider, and aligned to CompTIA.
- Instructors reachable by live chat, email, and toll free phone, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Pacific.
- Unlimited lifetime graduate support. Your access to CanScribe staff does not expire when the program does.
- Interest free payment plans over three or six months with no financing fees.
- Instructor graded exams, not automated multiple choice scoring alone.
Five tracks that stack, not five unrelated modules
The sequence is deliberate. A+ Cyber gives you the hardware, operating system, and networking foundation that every security concept depends on. Security+ builds the defensive layer on top of it. CySA+ teaches you to detect and respond to what gets through. Ethical Hacker Pro and PenTest+ then flip your perspective to the attacker's side, which is the fastest way to understand why the defensive controls exist. Skipping the foundation is the single most common reason career changers stall in security.
Employer input, not just curriculum theory
The program was created in conjunction with Total Support Solutions and CompTIA. That matters in a practical way: the curriculum tracks the certification objectives that hiring managers screen for, and the technical content reflects what a working IT services company actually deals with. CanScribe also maintains an employment partner network and career services you can use during and after the program.
Who this program is for
This is a substantial commitment of both time and money, so it is worth being direct about who benefits most from it and who would be better served elsewhere. An honest fit assessment early saves everyone a difficult conversation later.
It is a strong fit if you are
- Changing careers into tech with no formal IT background, and you want the full foundation rather than a single certificate.
- Already in a help desk or IT support role and want to move into a security specialization.
- Unable to commit to fixed class times because of shift work, caregiving, or an existing job.
- Living outside a major centre and need training that does not require relocating.
- Willing to spend roughly 22 hours a week for ten and a half months.
- Motivated by understanding how systems break, not just how to follow a runbook.
It is probably the wrong fit if you
- Already hold a computer science or engineering degree, in which case a post-degree cybersecurity credential may cost less and carry more academic weight.
- Already have several years of network or server administration experience and only need a short applied security top-up.
- Want a two to three month program. This one is ten and a half months by design.
- Need a guaranteed job placement. No legitimate BC training provider can promise one, and CanScribe does not.
- Are looking for the cheapest possible route to a single certification. Self-study will be less expensive, though without instructor access or support.
- Prefer a live classroom cohort with scheduled lectures and classmates moving in lockstep.
Not sure which side of that line you fall on? The career training readiness quiz takes a few minutes, or you can call 250-448-4670 and ask an admissions representative to talk you out of it. They will if it is the wrong fit. Read more about the wider Faculty of IT and current career opportunities for CanScribe graduates.
Cybersecurity technician course details, curriculum, and tuition
Everything published about the program, in one place. Figures come from the CanScribe program tuition page.
What you will learn in the cybersecurity technician course
The program moves from foundational IT through defensive security, then into threat analysis and offensive testing. By the end you should be able to build, secure, monitor, and deliberately attack a network environment, and explain your findings to people who do not work in security.
- Computer hardware, operating systems, and system administration fundamentals
- Network architecture, protocols, and secure network design
- Identity, authentication, and access control models
- Encryption concepts and applied cryptography
- Securing applications, endpoints, servers, and data at rest and in transit
- Risk management and security governance frameworks
- Threat detection, log analysis, and security monitoring
- Vulnerability management and remediation prioritization
- Incident response process and operational resilience
- Ethical hacking methodology and reconnaissance
- Penetration testing across enterprise, cloud, and IoT environments
- Reporting findings and communicating risk to non technical stakeholders
- Teamwork and project management inside a security function
- Career readiness, interviewing, and continuous professional growth
Included in the program
- Access to CanScribe staff by email, live chat, and toll free phone
- Industry approved curriculum developed with employer input
- Courses hosted on current learning management systems
- Access to staff, students, and graduates through online event rooms and forums
- Scheduled online events with CanScribe staff and guest speakers
- Regular follow up from Student Services
- Instructor graded exams
- Unlimited lifetime graduate support
- Flexible payment plans
- Instructors available Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Delivery and pacing
Study online from home, attend on campus in Kelowna, or blend the two. The program is self-paced and competency based inside a ten and a half month window. You cannot skip a course, but you can challenge unit tests and exercises, and you can attempt exercises more than once, so material you already know does not have to be relearned at full speed.
Regulatory status. CanScribe Career College is certified by the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU) of British Columbia. Program level approval is a separate determination made by the registrar for each program an institution offers. Ask your admissions representative to confirm the current approval status of this specific program, and what that means for tuition protection, before you sign an enrolment contract. You can also verify institutional certification directly at privatetraininginstitutions.gov.bc.ca.
Cybersecurity technician course curriculum
Seven courses, 883 instructional hours in total, taken in sequence. Each track builds on the one before it.
Establishes the core competencies every security role depends on: computer hardware, software, operating systems, and networking. You learn how systems are assembled, configured, and administered before you learn how to defend them, which is why this track comes first rather than being treated as optional prerequisite reading.
The defensive core of the program. You acquire the knowledge and practical skills to secure networks, applications, and data while maintaining system integrity and availability. Security+ is the credential most commonly named in Canadian entry level security job postings, which makes this the track employers ask about first.
Advanced coursework in threat detection, vulnerability management, and incident response. You apply industry frameworks to maintain operational resilience, which in practice means learning to read what your monitoring tools are telling you and deciding what to do about it under time pressure.
A hands-on track where you apply ethical hacking techniques against practice environments. Working from the attacker's perspective is the fastest route to genuinely understanding why each defensive control exists and where the gaps in a real deployment tend to appear.
Structured penetration testing methodology, and evaluating security posture across enterprise, cloud, and IoT environments. This track also covers documenting and reporting what you find, which is the part of testing work that most often separates a hireable candidate from a hobbyist.
Security work happens inside organizations, alongside people who do not share your vocabulary. This course develops the communication, collaboration, and project management skills needed to operate effectively on a team, escalate appropriately, and get remediation work actually scheduled and completed.
Preparation for the job search and for the pace of change in the field: positioning your new skills, interviewing for technical roles, and building the habit of continuous learning that a security career requires. This connects directly to CanScribe career services, which remain available to you after graduation.
Cybersecurity technician course tuition and funding
Total tuition is $11,500 for the full 883 hour program. Every fee is listed below rather than appearing later, and there is no separate all-in-one package or eBook upgrade published for this program. Figures are taken directly from the CanScribe program tuition page.
Cybersecurity Technician Diploma
Full program, all fees itemized
What the total covers
And the one thing to ask about
- All seven courses and 883 instructional hours
- Course materials and platform access included in the Materials Fee
- Instructor access Monday to Friday, and instructor graded exams
- Student Services follow up throughout the program
- Unlimited lifetime graduate support
CompTIA certification exams are booked and paid directly with CompTIA through its testing partner and are not listed as a line item in the breakdown above. Ask your admissions representative to confirm in writing what is and is not included before you enrol.
Payment plans
Both published plans are interest free with no financing fees. CanScribe accepts Visa, MasterCard, and eTransfer.
- 3 months: 3 payments of $3,833.33
- 6 months: 6 payments of $1,916.67
Government student loans and grants
Government student loans and grants are a funding route CanScribe students use, and eligibility depends on your program, your province, and your personal circumstances rather than on the type of institution. Start with your provincial student aid office, whichever province you live in, then talk to an admissions representative about the documentation they will need from CanScribe. Our financial assistance page covers the options in more detail.
Tuition tax credit
Eligible tuition qualifies for the federal tuition tax credit, which is 15% of eligible tuition, plus a provincial credit in most provinces. On $11,500 that works out to roughly $1,700 federally and about $2,300 in total at British Columbia rates. The credit is non-refundable, so you need enough tax payable to use it, and any unused amount can be carried forward to a future year. Ask the registrar for your T2202 and confirm the details with a tax preparer, since provincial credits vary and some provinces have eliminated theirs.
Scholarships and discounts
CanScribe offers scholarships, and the Scholarship Finder will tell you in a few minutes which ones you may be eligible for. There is also a 5% tuition discount for you and a friend when you both enrol at the same time.
The 5% friend discount applies to both students and requires that both enrol at the same time. Discounts and scholarships may not be combinable. Program extensions are available at $150 per month to a maximum of three additional months. Confirm all figures with an admissions representative before signing an enrolment contract, since published pricing can change.
Compare your options
How does the CanScribe cybersecurity technician course compare?
Canadian cybersecurity training splits into four honest categories. Each one wins on something. Here is where CanScribe sits, including the rows where it does not come first.
The row most people should read first is the top one. A two year public college cybersecurity diploma typically gates entry on Grade 11 or 12 physics and chemistry, or on a completed computing diploma, or on a bachelor's degree in science or engineering for the post-degree versions. CanScribe asks for a Grade 12 diploma or that you be 19 years old. Same field, roughly comparable money, no academic gate and no second year.
Scroll the table sideways to see all four options.
| CanScribe Cybersecurity Technician Diploma No IT Background Required | Public College Cybersecurity Diplomas | Private Cybersecurity Bootcamps | Self-Study Toward CompTIA Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who can enrolThe prerequisite gate | Grade 12 diploma, or age 19 and up as a mature student, plus a typing speed of 40 net words per minute. No degree, diploma, or prior IT credential. | Academic prerequisites are the norm. Two year technology diplomas commonly require Grade 11 physics and chemistry at 67% plus English 12. Post-degree and advanced options require a bachelor's degree in science or engineering, or a completed two year computing diploma. | Open to beginners, but funded seats commonly require several years of work experience in any field. | Anyone can buy materials and book an exam. No gate at all. |
| Total costCanadian dollars, approximate | $11,500All fees itemized: assessment, application, tuition, administration, materials. No sales tax on tuition. | $10,000 to $20,000+Domestic tuition across two academic years. One BC two year computing diploma estimates $16,750 domestic, before books at roughly $500 to $800 a term and a required laptop. | About $14,000List price for a 12 week full-time or 30 week flex program. Federally subsidized seats have been offered near $3,500 for eligible applicants. | About $2,600 and upExam vouchers alone for the five certifications in this pathway, converted from USD. Study materials, labs, and any retakes are extra. |
| Length and instructional hoursLonger is not automatically better | 44 weeks, 883 instructional hours. Roughly 22 hours a week. Extensions available at $150 per month, up to three months. | Two academic years, typically four terms, plus any prerequisite upgrading you need before you can start. | 12 weeks full-time at roughly 60 to 80 hours a week, or about 30 weeks part-time at 25 to 30 hours a week. | Entirely up to you, which is both the appeal and the risk. |
| Start when you wantIntake dates | Open enrolment year round. You pick your start date. | Fixed September and January intakes, with application deadlines months ahead and competitive waitlists on popular programs. | Scheduled cohorts, several per year, with application deadlines. | Start today. |
| Learn on your own scheduleSelf-paced or fixed class times | Self-paced and competency based. No mandatory live class times. Challenge unit tests on material you already know. | Fixed timetable across the full term. Two year technology diplomas commonly run about 25 hours a week of scheduled lectures and labs, plus a similar amount of preparation. | Live lectures on a set timetable, and full-time formats are effectively a job. | Completely flexible. |
| Delivery optionsOnline, on campus, or blended | Online from anywhere, on campus in Kelowna, or a blend of the two. | Depends on the credential. Some are online scheduled only, others require on campus lab attendance. | Typically remote only, with no campus option. | Online only, and entirely on your own. |
| Breadth of curriculumWhat is actually covered | IT and system administration, network and data security, threat detection and incident response, ethical hacking, penetration testing across enterprise, cloud and IoT, plus communication and project management. | Genuine strength. Two years covers the security material plus broader computing, math, and general education courses, which is more ground than this program covers. | Broad and current: server administration, network security, threat detection, forensics, incident response, and scripting. | As broad as the certifications you choose, but nothing sequences it for you or fills the gaps between exam objectives. |
| Hands-on practiceLabs and simulated environments | Applied ethical hacking and penetration testing work, plus exercises you can reattempt as many times as needed. | Genuine strength. Instructor led labs and a capstone project. | Genuine strength. Daily hands-on labs and project work. | Possible, but you build and troubleshoot your own lab, which is a project in itself. |
| Instructor access while you studyWhen you get stuck | Instructors reachable by live chat, email, and toll free phone, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Instructor graded exams. | Live instruction with office hours. | Instructors plus assigned mentors. | Forums and community only. No one is accountable for your progress. |
| Career services and employer networkHelp landing the first role | Career services, an employment partner network, and a career readiness course. Not a placement guarantee. | Institutional careers hub and co-op streams on some credentials, not all. | Genuine strength. Dedicated career services teams, employer outreach, and interview coaching are the core of the bootcamp model. | None. |
| Support after graduationOnce the program ends | Unlimited lifetime graduate support. Your access to staff does not expire. | Alumni services generally, but instructional support ends with the term. | Post-program career coaching, usually for a defined period. | None. |
| Student loans, grants and fundingPaying for it | Government student loans and grants, plus scholarships, a 5% two friend discount, and interest free three and six month payment plans with no financing fees. Provincial student aid programs across Canada can apply: your admissions representative will tell you what documentation your province needs. | Genuine strength. Established student aid pathways, institutional awards, and bursaries. | Genuine strength on subsidy. Federal upskilling partnerships have cut tuition dramatically for eligible applicants, though eligibility is narrow and time limited. | Out of pocket only. |
| Tuition tax creditClaiming it at tax time | Yes. Eligible tuition qualifies for the federal tuition tax credit of 15%, plus a provincial credit in most provinces. On $11,500 that is roughly $1,700 federally and about $2,300 in total at BC rates, once you have enough tax payable to absorb it. | Genuine strength. Designated institutions routinely issue tuition tax receipts. | Varies by provider and credential. Confirm before enrolling. | Exam vouchers and books are not tuition. |
| Priced in Canadian dollarsNo exchange rate exposure | Every fee quoted and charged in CAD. | CAD. | Canadian providers quote CAD. | Certification exams and most official materials are priced in USD, so you also carry the exchange rate and any foreign transaction fees. |
The gate matters more than the sticker price
Every cheaper option in this table either assumes you already work in IT, requires a credential you may not have, or leaves you entirely on your own. CanScribe is the route that starts from a Grade 12 diploma and still covers 883 hours.
About this comparison. Columns describe categories of provider rather than single named schools, because pricing and prerequisites vary widely inside each category. Figures were researched in August 2026 from providers' own published pages where possible, including BCIT for two year diploma domestic tuition estimates and program prerequisites, and Canadian bootcamp list pricing reported by third party course directories, which should be treated as approximate and reverified before you rely on it. Public college diploma tuition is shown as a range because it varies by institution, province, and program, and does not include books or a required laptop. All prices are shown in Canadian dollars. CompTIA exam voucher totals were converted from USD at approximately 1.39 CAD to 1 USD as of early August 2026, so the actual amount charged will differ with the rate on the day and with any foreign transaction fee your card applies. Individual programs reprice often, usually annually, and domestic rates are shown throughout: international rates at public institutions are substantially higher. Tax credit and student loan eligibility depend on your personal circumstances and on program level determinations. Tuition tax credit figures are illustrative: the federal credit is 15% of eligible tuition and provincial credits vary by province, with some provinces having eliminated theirs, so the actual benefit depends on where you live and on your tax payable that year. Confirm with the Canada Revenue Agency, your provincial student aid office, a tax preparer, and the institution's registrar rather than relying on this chart. For the full CanScribe fee breakdown, see the Tuition tab above or the program tuition page.
Admission requirements
- A Grade 12 diploma, or mature student status meaning you are 19 years old at the start of the program.
- If you are under 19, a copy of your high school diploma is required, and a parent or guardian must sign on your behalf.
- A copy of government issued photo identification showing your date of birth, such as a driver's licence or passport.
- A typing speed of 40 net words per minute or better. This is a working requirement rather than an academic one, since the coursework and the job both involve a lot of keyboard time.
- No prior IT credential, certification, or work experience is required.
Proof of English language proficiency
If English is not your first language, you must provide confirmation that you have achieved the minimum score from one of the following:
- IELTS 6 or higher, with no module below 5.5
- TOEFL with a minimum score of 60
- 5 Star English with a minimum grade of 70%
Technical requirements
- A PC or Mac meeting the minimum computer requirements, with internet access.
- The current version of Firefox or Chrome as your browser.
- High speed internet is recommended rather than required for the program itself. If you intend to work from home after graduating, employers do require it: plan on a download speed of at least 15 Mbps and an upload speed of at least 5 Mbps.
More general admissions information is available on the CanScribe admissions FAQ.
Cybersecurity technician course FAQ
The program is 883 instructional hours in total and you have 10.5 months, or 44 weeks, to complete it. That works out to fewer than 22 hours a week at a full-time pace. If you need more time, extensions are available at $150 for one month, to a maximum of three additional months.
CanScribe currently publishes an approximate starting range of $25 to $33 per hour for graduates entering technical roles. Treat that as an estimate rather than a promise: actual pay depends on your region, the employer, the specific role, and what you bring beyond the credential. For independent regional wage data, check the Government of Canada Job Bank, which publishes wage ranges by occupation and province. Ask your admissions representative for the most current figures before you build a budget around any number.
No. A Grade 12 diploma or mature student status is the academic requirement, and the only skills requirement is a typing speed of 40 net words per minute. There is no technical entrance exam and no prior certification expected. This is the main structural difference between CanScribe and most other cybersecurity training at comparable depth, where a prior computing diploma, a science or engineering degree, or roughly two years of IT work experience is expected. The program starts with IT and system administration fundamentals precisely because it assumes you are starting from zero.
Demand for security skills has grown steadily and the work is not easily automated. AI has become a tool that security practitioners use to work faster rather than a replacement for the judgment the role requires. CompTIA publishes research on Canada's tech workforce trends and job growth if you want to look at the underlying data yourself rather than take a school's word for it.
The published tuition breakdown covers assessment, application, tuition, administration, and materials. Certification exams are booked and paid directly with CompTIA through its testing partner and are not listed as a line item in that breakdown. Because exam pricing changes and because voucher bundles are sometimes available, ask your admissions representative to confirm in writing what is and is not included before you enrol. Your training and your certification are two separate purchases, and it is better to know that up front.
The program is competency based, which means you move to the next level when you can demonstrate competence in the material being taught. You cannot skip a course outright, but you can challenge unit tests and exercises, and you can attempt exercises more than once. Students arriving with existing experience in some of the concepts generally move through the early tracks considerably faster.
Yes, remote and hybrid work is common in security and IT support roles, so it is a realistic option. Whether you prefer working face to face with people or entirely virtually, both paths exist. If working from home is the goal, prioritize a reliable high speed connection, since employers treat it as a requirement rather than a preference.
Unlimited lifetime graduate support means your access to CanScribe staff does not expire when the program does. Graduates use it for resume and interview help, technical questions that come up on the job, and reconnecting years later during a career move. It is paired with CanScribe career services and the employment partner network. What it is not is a job guarantee, and you should be sceptical of any provider that offers one.
Refund entitlements depend on when you withdraw, on the program's regulatory approval class, and on the terms of your signed enrolment contract. Rather than summarize a policy that has several distinct sections, read the full text on the CanScribe policies page and ask admissions to walk you through the refund schedule and the approval status of this specific program before you sign anything. That conversation takes ten minutes and is worth having with any school you are considering.
They are the same program. The cybersecurity technician course is how the training is described, and the Cybersecurity Technician Diploma is the credential name that appears on the tuition breakdown. Separately, the CompTIA certifications the coursework prepares you for are awarded by CompTIA rather than by CanScribe, and are earned by passing CompTIA's own exams. If you are earlier in your journey and want a smaller first step, the CompTIA A+ course covers the foundation track on its own.
Career paths
Roles graduates target
The five tracks in this program map onto both defensive and offensive job families, which widens the range of postings you can credibly apply to.
- Cybersecurity technician
- Security analyst or SOC analyst
- Systems analyst
- Network security administrator
- IT support specialist with a security focus
- Vulnerability or threat analyst
- Incident response technician
- Penetration tester
Flexibility
Where and how you work
Security work travels well. Much of it is done remotely, which means your options are not limited by what happens to be hiring within driving distance of where you live now.
- Remote, hybrid, and on-site roles are all common
- Managed service providers hire technicians who can cover multiple client environments
- In-house IT teams at mid-size organizations need generalists who can do both defence and testing
- Independent consulting and contract security assessment work is a realistic longer term path
- Skills transfer across industries, since every sector runs networks that need defending
- Certification based hiring means your credentials travel between provinces and countries
Is a career in tech right for you?
Ten and a half months is a real commitment. Before you apply, take a few minutes with the CanScribe career training readiness quiz and get an honest read on whether this path fits how you actually like to work and learn.
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What CanScribe students say
Graduates across the CanScribe faculties, in their own words.
Start your cybersecurity technician course when you are ready
No application fee, no obligation, and no intake date to wait for. Apply today or talk it through with an admissions representative in Kelowna first.
Or call 250-448-4670