Cybersecurity education is most effective when it reflects the decisions people are responsible for making.
A Chief Information Officer (CIO) evaluating cloud risk needs different information than a project manager implementing a security requirement. A procurement professional needs to understand the right questions to ask, while someone new to GovRAMP needs a foundation in how the program works.
GovRAMP Academy presented by Zscaler offers learning pathways designed to meet these different needs. Whether you're building cybersecurity knowledge, navigating government security frameworks, or putting strategy into practice, the right starting point depends on your role and responsibilities.
Here's how to find the pathway that fits your needs.
If You're New to GovRAMP: All About GovRAMP
Start here if: You're new to GovRAMP or want to better understand the program from a government agency or service provider perspective.
The All About GovRAMP pathway covers the fundamentals of the program, including GovRAMP 101, continuous monitoring, government adoption, and the verification process for service providers.
Learners who complete the pathway can earn the All About GovRAMP certificate.
If You Need the Cybersecurity Fundamentals: Security Foundations
Start here if: Your work involves cybersecurity, procurement, cloud services, compliance, or third-party risk management, but cybersecurity is not your primary responsibility.
Security Foundations introduces core concepts that help professionals participate more confidently in cybersecurity and risk discussions.
The pathway covers three areas:
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Zero Trust Fundamentals: Understand zero trust principles and their application to third-party risk.
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Shared Responsibility: Explore how security responsibilities are divided between service providers and government agencies.
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Third-Party Risk Management: Learn the fundamentals of developing a meaningful, manageable risk management program.
These topics help professionals ask informed questions and understand how security decisions affect their work.
If You Need Context on Security Frameworks: Compliance for the Curious
Start here if: You've encountered terms such as NIST, FedRAMP, and GovRAMP but want to understand how these frameworks relate to one another.
Compliance for the Curious introduces the frameworks that shape government cloud security and explains why different approaches exist.
Its initial course, Understanding Government Security Frameworks (Without Losing Your Mind), explores the purpose of these frameworks and GovRAMP's work toward greater harmonization.
For government agencies and service providers navigating multiple security requirements, this course provides context for understanding the broader framework landscape.
If You’re Putting Strategy Into Practice: Managing Modernization — Implementers
Start here if: You understand the fundamentals and are responsible for implementing modernization, cybersecurity, or risk management strategies.
Managing Modernization — Implementers focuses on applying concepts to organizational decisions and day-to-day operations.
Courses address whole-of-state cybersecurity, third-party risk management, procurement and budgeting, public-private partnerships, change management, and AI in cloud security.
Topics include Smart Buying for the Public Sector, Budgeting for GovRAMP, and Becoming a Good Partner to Governments. The pathway also offers separate change management courses for executives and project managers, reflecting their different responsibilities in leading and implementing organizational change.
Learners can also explore AI in Cloud Security to examine emerging developments, questions government agencies and service providers should consider, and approaches to evaluating evolving security risks.
Continue Learning Through Community
GovRAMP Academy includes dedicated Community spaces for public and private sector participants to ask questions, share observations, and exchange insights with peers navigating similar challenges.
These spaces extend learning beyond individual courses and create opportunities for participants to discuss cloud security from their respective operational perspectives.
What’s Next for GovRAMP Academy
GovRAMP Academy will continue expanding its learning opportunities to address the needs of different roles and organizations.
Future education will provide additional support for executives, project managers, procurement professionals, technology and security teams, service providers, and public sector decision makers. The Academy is also expanding its focus to include the needs of local government and education.
As these opportunities grow, the Academy will continue supporting learners as they move from foundational knowledge to practical application.
Ready to find your starting point?
Explore GovRAMP Academy and identify the learning pathway that best aligns with your role at academy.govramp.org.
GovRAMP Academy is available to GovRAMP members and individuals from participating government and education organizations. Access is provided through an individual GovRAMP Member Portal account. Questions about Academy access? Contact info@govramp.org.