Enrolling in a Learning Path
This page explains how to find a Learning Path, filter by badge level and framework, enroll, and track your progress through the My Progress dashboard.
Browsing the Catalog
The Learning Path catalog is accessible from the main navigation under Learn > Paths. The catalog lists all paths available to your workspace, including paths published by CTFFactory and any custom paths created by your workspace administrators.
Each catalog entry displays:
- Path title and short description
- Badge level (Foundation through Advanced)
- Framework alignment tags (CCSSF, NICE, or both)
- Estimated completion time
- Number of courses and cards
- Enrollment count (visible to admins)
Filtering and Searching
Use the filter panel on the left side of the catalog to narrow results:
| Filter | Options |
|---|---|
| Badge Level | Foundation, Associate, Practitioner, Specialist, Advanced |
| Framework | CCSSF, NICE |
| Domain | Web, Network, Reverse Engineering, Cloud, Forensics, Cryptography, OSINT, and more |
| Duration | Under 2 hours, 2–8 hours, 8+ hours |
| Status | Not started, In progress, Completed |
The search bar performs a full-text search across path titles, descriptions, and card competency tags.
Enrolling in a Path
To enroll in a path:
- Open the path detail page by clicking its title in the catalog.
- Review the path overview, framework alignment, and card list.
- Click Enroll in the top-right corner of the path detail page.
Enrollment is instantaneous. Once enrolled, the path appears in your My Progress dashboard and the first card in the first course is unlocked immediately.
Workspace admins can also enroll specific team members in a path from the People page. Bulk enrollment is available for groups.
Progress Tracking
Progress is tracked at the individual card level. As you work through a path, each card transitions through the following states:
| State | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Locked | Prerequisites not yet met; card cannot be opened. |
| Available | Card is accessible and ready to begin. |
| In Progress | The card has been opened or partially completed. |
| Evidence Submitted | Required evidence has been uploaded; awaiting review if peer/instructor review is configured. |
| Complete | All requirements for this card have been satisfied. |
A progress bar at the top of each course and at the path level shows the percentage of cards completed. The path is marked Complete only when every certifiable card reaches the Complete state.
My Progress Dashboard
The My Progress dashboard (navigate to Learn > My Progress) provides a consolidated view of all paths you are enrolled in. Key sections include:
- Active Paths — paths in progress, sorted by most recently accessed
- Completed Paths — finished paths with links to your issued Open Badge credentials
- Badges Earned — a gallery of all badges issued to your account, with one-click sharing and verification links
Resuming a Path
Click Continue on any active path card to jump directly to the next incomplete card. The system remembers your last position within a card's content.
Completion Certificate vs. Open Badge
Upon completing all required cards in a path, CTFFactory automatically issues an Open Badges v3 credential to your account. This is distinct from a simple PDF certificate — the badge is a cryptographically verifiable, machine-readable assertion. See Open Badges for details on how to share and verify your credential.