The Securityfwd Guarantee Cyber Security Career Track
Welcome to Securityfwd's Cyber Security Career Track (the “Career Track”). We are
committed to your success and will support you fully in the transition into a cybersecurity
career. We back our commitment with the Securityfwd Cyber Security Career Track
Guarantee (the “Securityfwd Guarantee”): subject to the Terms below, we will refund
100% of your paid tuition if you are not offered a Qualifying Position (as defined in the
Terms) within the Guarantee Period of receiving a Career Track certificate of
completion. If you are paying for your program using the Deferred Tuition plan through
Ascent, we will refund 100% of your paid tuition if you do not receive a Qualifying Offer
(as defined in the Terms) within the Guarantee Period of receiving a Career Track
certificate of completion.
A career transition involves focused, consistent effort. We put in this effort to help you
make that transition, and ask for an equal commitment from you. Specifically, you shall
satisfy the requirements below in order to be eligible for the Securityfwd Guarantee. If
these requirements are not satisfied, you may still participate in the program and
receive all of the advantages of career support, but you will not be eligible for the tuition
refund.
Terms
The following terms and conditions (the “Terms”) apply to the Securityfwd Guarantee:
Eligibility Requirements
● You must be 18 years or older.
● You must:
○ Hold a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited educational institution. Most
employers still require a Bachelor’s degree in addition to the cybersecurity
skills and the experience you will gain during the Career Track. Exceptions
can be made for students who will receive their bachelor's by 50% of the
calendar time in the course; OR
○ Have at least one year of relevant work experience in computer science,
IT, or one of the security domains; OR
○ Have at least one year of military experience in a military job code that is
related to a security domain.
● You must successfully pass the CompTIA Security+ certification exam upon
course completion.
● You must be proficient in spoken and written English. The determination of
English proficiency will be based on a third-party assessment.
● You must be eligible to legally work in the United States, or Canada if applying for
positions in Canada, for at least 2 years following graduation from the Career
Track. You must be a current resident of either the United States or Canada.
● You must be a job seeker with the intent of securing employment within your
Career Track and have not been refunded from another Securityfwd Career
Track. If your intent changes at any point in your program, your eligibility will be
voided.
● You must be able to pass any background checks associated with jobs that you
apply for. Without limiting the foregoing, if you fail to obtain a job offer directly or
partially due to your failure to pass a background check associated with the job
offer, you will not be eligible for the tuition refund.
● Securityfwd reserves the right to re-verify your eligibility at any time within the
course and during the Guarantee Period. If you no longer fit the criteria, your
eligibility will be voided. If you provide Securityfwd with false or incorrect
information related to any eligibility requirements, your eligibility will be voided.
Definitions
A “Qualifying Position” is defined as any role in the cybersecurity field as:
1. A salaried employee or waged employee working an average of at least 30
hours a week onsite or remotely;
2. A full-time (30 or more hours per week) contractor, intern, or other
compensated service provider relationship for 3 months or longer working
onsite or remotely; or
3. A paid onsite or remote contractor or intern that has the potential to be
extended or converted to a full-time role
If you are paying for your program using the Deferred Tuition plan through Ascent, a
“Qualifying Offer” is defined as an offer with monthly compensation of at least $3,333
($40,000 annualized) for a Qualifying Position. We may communicate to your lender
that you have received an “Offer of Employment” once you have received a Qualifying
Offer.
The “Guarantee Period” is defined as the period beginning at enrollment and ending 6
months after receiving a Career Track certificate of completion for those living within a
Metropolitan Area at the time of enrollment or 9 months after receiving a Career Track
certification of completion for those living outside a Metropolitan Area at the time of
enrollment, or a longer period as set forth below. The Guarantee Period may be
extended unilaterally by Securityfwd : (A) by up to 12 months if the national
unemployment rate is at any point during the Guarantee Period equal to or greater than
6%, or the monthly increase in the national unemployment rate exceeds 0.5%, or there
are back-to-back monthly increases in the unemployment rate; (B) by one month to
account for seasonal slowdowns in hiring, such as during the end-of-year holiday
season occurring at any point during the Guarantee Period; (C) by up to six months if
the national job postings for the Career Track declines more than 5%
quarter-over-quarter or (D) by up to six months if there is a natural disaster or other
occurrences beyond Securityfwd's control at any point during the Guarantee Period that
disrupts the job market nationally or in one or more Metropolitan Areas you are
targeting. The Guarantee Period may also be extended by mutual agreement. The
foregoing extensions may be cumulative.
The “Metropolitan Areas” means the metropolitan areas surrounding the following
cities: Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX;
Denver, CO; Montreal, QC (Canada), New York City, NY, Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia,
PA; Phoenix, AZ; Raleigh-Durham, NC; San Antonio, TX; San Francisco Bay Area, CA;
Seattle, WA; Toronto, ON (Canada); Washington DC, Vancouver, BC (Canada).
Extension of Job Guarantee: If you are in the active interview stage at the end of the
guarantee period your Job Guarantee shall be extended. The extension of the Job
Guarantee shall remain in effect, and students will be required to fully participate in all
Job Guarantee requirements until the interviews with all relevant companies have been
concluded and a final decision has been made.
● Active Interview Stage: The active interview stage is defined as the period
during which a student has submitted an application, has been shortlisted, and is
actively participating in interviews, assessments, or any other selection
processes conducted by the company.
Commitment to the Program and Your Success
We require that you fully commit to your job search and take our recommendations
seriously. As a graduate of the Career Track, we expect you to be an active participant
in your success and put significant effort into your growth and your job search.
Therefore, for the Securityfwd Guarantee to be applicable:
● You must have completed all the mandatory requirements for graduation,
including:
○ You must complete 100% of the core curriculum within 6 months of your
cohort start date, not including any freeze, pause, or extension granted to you
by Securityfwd.
○ You must successfully complete all core projects at Securityfwd within 6
months which requires meeting or exceeding the expectations outlined in the
provided rubrics. It is mandatory to submit improved versions of the projects
based on the feedback provided by your mentor until the expectations are
met.
○ You must have completed and passed all career development tasks that are
(a) listed in the curriculum, in the order they appear in the curriculum, and (b)
personally assigned to you by Securityfwd's career coaches. This includes
without limitation taking all calls and passing mock interviews (failing to pass
mock interviews may terminate eligibility for a refund).
○ You must abide by Securityfwd's Coaching Call Policy and by its provisions
at all times. You shall refrain from engaging in any conduct that violates the
Coaching Call Policy. The Coaching Call Policy can be found here.
○ You must abide by Securityfwd's Code of Conduct and its provisions at all
times. You shall refrain from engaging in any conduct that violates the Code
of Conduct, including but not limited to dishonesty, plagiarism, harassment,
discrimination, or any other form of misconduct.
Post-Completion Job Search Requirements
Starting on the day you are approved for completion after having completed the above
mandatory requirements:
○ You are required to apply for a minimum of 10 Qualifying Positions per week,
as recommended by Securityfwd's Career Coaches to ensure an active job
search. These guidelines are based on industry best practices and are
designed to enhance your chances of securing suitable employment
opportunities. You must fully complete and submit weekly applications related
to your Securityfwd course and conduct one (1) follow-up for each
application.
○ You must actively demonstrate your continued skill development with a
minimum of 2 activities per month. To ensure continuous skill development
and growth in your professional journey, it is crucial to actively engage in
ongoing learning opportunities and skills enhancement. By proactively
participating in a variety of skill development activities, you can broaden your
knowledge base, acquire new skills, and stay updated with industry trends.
Securityfwd's Career Curriculum provides a detailed list of qualifying skill
development activities.
○ You must be active in building your network and reach out to at least 10
individuals per week and conduct 4 unique informational interviews per month
as defined within your course career curriculum. In line with Securityfwd's
“one-size fits one” approach, Career Coaches may increase weekly and
monthly minimum activities based on individual coaching plans.
○ Networking - Outreach includes emailing, LinkedIn messages, meetups,
and conferences. Being consistent in your professional networking
including making course-specific contacts and following up is critical to
one’s success in the job search.
○ Informational Interviews - An informational interview may be done in
person, via video chat, or by phone. As a part of Securityfwd's Career
Curriculum, an informational interview is defined as a meeting to learn
about the real-life experience of someone working in the field related to
the course of study or with a company that interests you. Informational
interviews are not actual interviews or discussions with recruiters.
○ You must schedule calls with a Securityfwd career coach at the frequency
instructed by the coach.
○ You must take guidance from your Career Services team, and follow their
recommendations on your job search strategy including building your network
and applying for job types that are a good fit for you. You must be applying for
roles that are suited to your level of experience and areas of expertise, and
maintain realistic expectations about what kind of first cybersecurity job is
right for you.
○ You must provide the Securityfwd Career Services team with a weekly
summary of job-related activity in the tool provided by Securityfwd, including
all job applications submitted and networking efforts made. You will also
provide Securityfwd with further job-related information on request.
○ You must respond to placement-related communications from Securityfwd
within 72 hours.
○ You must always act with reasonable and good faith efforts to obtain a
Qualifying Position.
○ You shall promptly inform their Securityfwd Career Coach of all recruiting
activity, including active interview statuses, by providing necessary
documentation or evidence, such as interview invitations, confirmation emails,
or any other relevant correspondence.
You are expected to keep documentation of all job search activities. Please note that
Securityfwd reserves the right to request documentation or evidence of your actual
submission of anything above including but not limited to applications, informational
interviews, networking, and skill development activities to verify your compliance with
this requirement. In line with Securityfwd's “one-size fits one” approach, Career
Coaches may increase weekly and monthly minimum activities based on individual
coaching plans.
How This Guarantee Applies To You
Without limiting the foregoing, situations that void this Securityfwd Guarantee include,
but are not limited to:
1. You turn down a job offer for a Qualifying Position.
2. If you choose not to conduct a job search related to your course during the
Guarantee Period, you have the option to suspend your job search for a maximum
of six months. To do so, you must provide written notice to Securityfwd and obtain
Securityfwd's written approval. Securityfwd's approval will serve as a mutual
agreement to extend the Guarantee Period. If you receive an offer for a Qualifying
Position during the suspension period, your eligibility for a refund will be
terminated. Additionally, if you receive an offer for a non-Qualifying Position, it will
invalidate the Job Guarantee. Once you resume your job search after the
suspension period, Securityfwd reserves the right to extend the Guarantee Period
by up to six months. This ensures that the total Guarantee Period accounts for any
interruption in your job search
3. You decide to search for a role that does not meet the Qualifying Position criteria
above or is outside of the cybersecurity field.
4. You accept a role that does not meet the Qualifying Position criteria above or is
outside of the cybersecurity field before the Guarantee Period is over.
5. You do not put sufficient and consistent effort into your job search, as outlined
above.
6. You do not communicate with Securityfwd Career Services consistently
throughout your search, including notifying us of any offers you have received.
7. You lose your work authorization or do not have sufficient work authorization that
meets the requirements above during your search, even if you did expect to have
authorization or did at one time have appropriate work authorization during your
Career Track program.
8. You significantly change your job search strategy during the Guarantee Period,
including without limitation changing the Metropolitan Area of search, or industry,
unless agreed to in advance by Securityfwd.
9. You do not follow through with the interview process for Qualifying Positions in a
timely and professional manner, including but not limited to not participating as
expected by the employer in the interview process by providing responses to
employer communications, showing up on time for interviews, and providing
documents or follow up as expected by employers.
10. You do not apply for jobs that are suitable for your background or experience as
discussed in your calls with Securityfwd's Career Services team.
11. You no-show or reschedule/cancel a call with less than 24 hours notice with a
Career Coach or mock interviewer 3 or more times.
Certification for Reimbursement
If you believe you qualify for a reimbursement, you must provide a written and signed
certification with documentation of all activities that you have met all of the Terms and
have not been offered any Qualifying Positions, within one calendar month after the
Guarantee Period.
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