Embracing the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Talent

There is an acute shortage of cybersecurity talent worldwide, with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) citing a 3.4 million shortfall globally. Programs like student-run security operations centres offer a practical path to expand the workforce, as LSU has demonstrated with a first-of-its-kind student-run SOC spanning 34 Louisiana State University campuses launched in 2023.

The SOC provides 24/7 security coverage and, through TekStream’s MDR service using Splunk’s SIEM/SOAR deployed on AWS, delivers up to 1,000 hours of frontline security experience to students each year; since early 2024, students have worked on approximately 33% of the SOC’s incidents. Students are trained to the same level as TekStream employees on cyberattacks, analysis and real-time response, equipping them with marketable skills upon graduation.

This model supports a lower-cost, scalable approach to training while strengthening public-private collaboration; according to a House Committee on Homeland Security data snapshot, cyberattacks on critical infrastructures increased 30% worldwide in 2023, underscoring the need to future-proof the workforce. Bruce Johnson, 5 September 2025.