How student-run security centers can help state and local governments find cyber talent

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Higher education institutions are turning to their students to meet their cyber needs, while simultaneously developing a tech-savvy workforce for the public sector.

Across the U.S., there are thousands of cybersecurity jobs that remain empty, as the risk of cyber threats to state and local communities continues to grow

But it can be hard for the public sector to attract and retain the cyber talent they need to protect critical infrastructure and systems, as the perks of the private sector — like higher wages and quicker hiring times — draw job candidates away. 

“We’re hearing state and local governments say they can’t afford the people who have the skills to fill empty seats, and the people they could afford don’t have the skills,” said Biplab Panda, engagement director at TekStream Solutions. 

One approach communities can take to fill the workforce and skills gap is implementing security operation centers at local colleges and universities where students can develop their cybersecurity skills, creating a potential tech-savvy workforce for state and local agencies. 

On the east coast, the New Jersey Institute of Technology launched a student-run SOC program in partnership with tech consultant company TekStream earlier this month. The partnership aims to help the university strengthen its own cybersecurity program by hiring students to manage it while receiving training and mentorship from TekStream staff, said Sharon Kelley, executive director for information security and chief information security officer at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. 

Student-run SOCs offer students the chance to gain real-world experience in managing cybersecurity threats and incidents before they graduate, which Kelley said is crucial to helping students find employment once they’re ready to enter the workforce. At the end of the program, for instance, students receive a portfolio of their work as proof of their cyber skills to employers. 

“We want to keep the talent in New Jersey — that’s our goal,” Kelley said. “We’ve got governmental agencies … that need to fill these roles,” and the student-run SOC helps create “a pipeline of people.” 

In August, for instance, NJIT will host an open house event to commemorate the SOCs first cohort of students, which Kelley said could serve as an opportunity to introduce state and local leaders to the program and its participants. That way, the SOC initiative can help create a “broader coalition and community” to “take advantage of an untapped body of people that can help,” she said. 

TekStream previously partnered with Louisiana State University in 2023 to launch a student-run SOC. Alumni of that program, for instance, have reported getting cyber positions at government agencies like the state’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Panda said. 

Looking to the future, he said the student-run SOC model will likely continue to expand as state and local agencies see the labor and cost benefits to be gained from these public-private partnerships. In fact, Kelley said NJIT hopes to expand its SOC program to other, smaller schools in the area. SOCs with students at the helm have also cropped in other states like Nevada and Ohio. 

Panda also pointed to how the SOCs offer an opportunity to incorporate AI education into the workforce development programs to ensure that, by the time today’s students graduate from higher education institutions, they are equipped with the tech skills employers are looking for.

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