About Phase2 Advantage
Phase2 Advantage is a cybersecurity training and certification company based in Savannah, Georgia. The company provides a wide range of curriculum development and teaching services for military and government organizations, private sector corporations, law enforcement agencies, and academic institutions.
Founded in 2014, Phase2 Advantage has extended its training and services within the United States and to more than 18 countries worldwide. The company’s publishing unit provides textbooks, workbooks, and labs to several college systems for undergraduate and graduate cybersecurity programs and works with industry partners in all sectors to develop practical and sustainable cybersecurity programs in emerging markets.
Why are we Different?
We believe that entry-level students and seasoned professionals alike should have access to affordable cybersecurity training programs which are practical and based on both experiential and immersive learning.
We believe all instructors should be as passionate about teaching as the students in our classes are about learning. They should possess the intuition to know that students in any class learn as much from those on their left and right as they do from the front of the class, and therefore foster an environment of engagement and interaction. It should be an experience that provides long-term and continuous value for everyone involved in the training program.
To accomplish this goal, the core staff at Phase2 Advantage responsible for content development and course instruction were selected for their high levels of multidisciplinary experience and diverse backgrounds that include cybersecurity, military intelligence, law enforcement, and the corporate sector.
Our Training Philosophy
Our experience in conducting cybersecurity courses has reinforced the recognition that a “Theory vs. Reality” disconnect exists on a wide scale, and our training philosophy has been developed to acknowledge this fact and bridge this gap for our students. Phase2 Advantage requires the development and instruction of its training courses meet the five fundamental criteria listed below.
- Practical: If the student enjoys the training experience, scores well on the exam, and walks away with an earned credential – but cannot apply the knowledge gained on their first day back to work – their time and their employer’s money have been wasted.
2. Holistic: Teaching students the “how” of a task (the technical skill) without revealing the aspect of “why” (the context and purpose of the implementation) diminishes the student’s understanding of the body of knowledge being presented during the training.
3. Multidisciplinary: If students are only provided with the technical functions of cybersecurity without realizing their professional roles will require a multidisciplinary foundation of abilities – interpersonal skills, communicating with business leaders, interacting in team environments – they will not be adequately prepared for real-world positions.
4. Immersive: Students must be provided with experiential learning presented by instructors who subject matter experts in their field to associate theoretical knowledge with practical application. They must also be exposed to immersive training in the form of labs and exercises to build confidence and mastery in the body of knowledge of their discipline of study.
5. Retainable: If students attend intensive cybersecurity training programs and rely on rote memorization to pass a certification exam – but cannot retain the knowledge and pass the same exam six months later – it is a disservice to them and a poor reflection on the training organization. They must experience a balanced combination of intensive instruction and extended exposure to guarantee the highest probability the body of knowledge presented can be retained and recalled when needed.
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Meet the Phase2 Advantage Core Team
Michael I. Kaplan
Michael I. Kaplan is the founder and CEO of Phase2 Advantage, and currently manages the Content Development and Publishing initiatives of the company. He is also the Chairman of the Savannah Technical College Cybersecurity Advisory Committee and extensively involved in the school’s cybersecurity curriculum development and educational support initiatives. Michael has developed a partnership with the Economic Development division of the Technical College System of Georgia which provides the Learning Management System used in Phase2 Advantage programs and allows the company to engage in numerous workforce and professional development initiatives throughout the State of Georgia.
Michael is a military veteran and a national advocate for the military affiliate community. After attending the U.S. Army’s Intelligence Center of Excellence at Fort Huachuca in Arizona in 1983, he attended the Defense Language Institute, Airborne School, several specialized Schools at FT. Bragg in North Carolina, and was assigned to the 11th Special Forces Group (AGR).
Michael was recruited in 1989 to Special Projects Group and served as an instructor and operator on a Federal International Fugitive Task Force (his FBI letters of reference can be viewed on his LinkedIn profile). He was responsible for supervising and training 325 agents who were responsible for more than 3,000 UFAP apprehensions in seven years. Michael left government service in 1994 to pursue a career in High-Threat Executive Protection as an instructor and operator, then founded Phase2 Advantage in 2014. During each of these career stages, he always maintained the official position of “instructor,” and the unofficial position of “team computer geek.”
From 1994 to 2014, Michael earned over 20 cybersecurity certifications and developed a passion for writing and instructional design. He has written five of the primary texts used in Phase2 Advantage training courses and developed a dedicated publishing unit for the company. These texts, registered with the U.S. ISBN Agency (Bowker) and available through all major book resellers, can be viewed below. You can click the covers of the textbooks to read additional details about them on Amazon.
LTC Scott C. Scheidt (RET)
Scott C. Scheidt is the President of Phase2 Advantage and serves as the Director of Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC). He is an adjunct professor in the Cyber and Related Programs Department at Savannah Technical College, Savannah, Georgia. He oversees policy standards and implementation strategies to ensure procedures and guidelines comply with physical and cybersecurity policies in accordance with ISO 27001/2 framework, NIST SP 800 series, FISMA/FedRAMP, SSAE 18, GDPR, CMMC, and ITAR.
In addition, Scott is a Certified Cybersecurity professional with experience in cyber offensive and defensive operations, vulnerability assessments, risk mitigation, business management, enterprise security, and the development of cyber policy and strategy. Scott retired in August 2019 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) serving in a final capacity as the Joint Forces Headquarters (JFHQ)-GA G6 Branch Chief, IT Services and Support for the Georgia Army National Guard, where he led the formation of the GA National Guard Cyber Protection Team, conducting intelligence and cyber operations for over 16 years.
His military awards and designations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Combat Action Badge, Expert Field Medical Badge, Army Space Cadre Badge, Cyber Mission Forces Member, Army Cyber Operations Planner, Tactical Information Operations Planner, and Joint Communications Planner. Scott has also led outreach efforts with K-12 schools and youth programs (e.g., cyber camps, mentorship) in the community to bring cyber security training and awareness to middle and high school students and partnered with the NSA Day of Cyber program to help students gain experience and knowledge in work roles that academic cyber education programs would prepare them for real-world experience.
He is also a member of the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Cyber Society and Education and has over 40 published works to his credit. You are invited to connect with Scott on social media and LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-c-scheidt
Jason L. Childers
Jason L. Childers is the Director of Intelligence Programs at Phase2 Advantage and a seasoned course instructor. He is Cyber Warfare Technician in the Georgia Army National Guard with more than fifteen years of experience in Military Intelligence and Cyberspace Operations. Jason’s civilian background includes extensive experience in Cyber education, training and development, Cyber Operations coordination, and operations planning.
Jason started his military career in Military Intelligence as an analyst at echelons from Battalion to Division levels. He held positions such as Brigade GEOINT NCOIC and Targeting NCOIC. In 2016 he began his transition from Military Intelligence to Cyber Warfare and became the first Reserve Component soldier to complete the Cyber Warfare Operations Specialist Course. His civilian certifications include CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+), GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI), and Certified Incident Handler (ECIH).
He has completed the Common Ground Station Analyst Course, Geospatial Analyst Transition Course, Joint Cyber Analyst Course, Cyber Warfare Operations Specialist Course, Joint Advanced Cyber Warfare Course- Georgia, Cyber Operations Planners Course, Cyber Mission Commanders Course, and the Title-10 Operators Course. Jason has deployed with the Special Operations Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (SOJTF-OIR) and the 780th MI Brigade (CYBER). He is currently assigned to Cyber Protection Team 170, Georgia Army National Guard.
Jason’s military awards include the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Commendation Medal, and the Military Intelligence Corps Association’s Knowlton Award. He is a lifetime member of the Military Intelligence Corps Association, Military Cyber Professional Association, several Veteran Service Organizations, and the National Eagle Scout Association. You are invited to connect with Jason on social media and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-childers-459a0355
Brett P. Lang
Brett P. Lang is the Director of Online Education for Phase2 Advantage, a military veteran who served honorably in the U.S. Air Force, and a seasoned professional who brings more than 20 years of experience in the security industry to the team. He is also a member of the Savannah Technical College Cybersecurity Advisory Committee and extensively involved in the school’s cybersecurity curriculum development and educational support initiatives.
Prior to being promoted to his current position at Phase2, Brett served as the Managing Editor for the course textbooks produced by the company’s publishing branch. He is listed on Amazon as the editor of four primary texts in the “Practical Cybersecurity” series used in the Phase2 Advantage certification courses: Cybersecurity Defense and Operations, Disaster Response and Recovery, Incident Investigations and Response, and Network Defense and Investigations. These texts are also used by colleges and universities for both undergraduate and graduate programs in the U.S. and internationally.
In his role as Director of Online Education, Brett overseas the operation of the Phase2 Advantage Learning Management System hosted by the Technical College System of Georgia. His responsibilities include course content, creating domain practice quizzes, developing certification exams, and ensuring all materials used on the platform are ADA compliant. He also serves as an assistant course instructor and provides liaison services for students enrolled in the certification courses. You are invited to connect with Brett on social media and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettlang
Contact Us to Learn More
To find out more about Phase2 Advantage and our full range of available client services, contact us today via the phone number or email address listed below.
OFFICE:
(912) 335-2217