NC State Cybersecurity Bootcamp Faces Student Backlash

0:00On March 2nd, here's the latest out of Durham. North Carolina State University is winding down its cyber security boot camp after student complaints about poor quality and unmet promises. The nine-month online program cost students $17,800 and was heavily branded with the NC State name, but a third party. Company called Iron Circle actually ran it. The boot camp promised career coaching, job placement help, and vouchers for industry certifications like Comtia Security Plus. Instead, students faced instructor turnover, outdated lessons on topics like firewalls, and a switch to the company's own worthless badge at the end. Former students like 33-year-old Marger Routsepp and 45-year-old Alfred Cassidy shared stories of frustration. Routsepp took out a loan she'll repay over 14 years, totaling around $45,000 while still stuck in her old medical job. Cassidy battled cancer and sought remote work, but got no real support, leaving many feelings scanned.

1:00NC State says it oversaw the curriculum in marketing, and since launching in 2021, 1,523 people enrolled, with Iron Circle claiming 349 found jobs. But complaints from at least 14 students led to informal mediation by the state attorney general, which went nowhere. Meanwhile, the university plans to end the program by 2027 as it shifts to fully asynchronous classes with no new enrollments. Iron Circle denies wrongdoing, insisting it delivered quality training, but trust in these university partner boot camps has taken a hit for career. Changers The Daily News Now is powered by a sponsor, link in the description. No earbuds, no headbands, no awkward sleeping positions, just a pillow that plays your sound. S-O-L-L-I-S-O-L-E-P-L-O dot com