Closing the Cybersecurity Talent Gap: A Skills-First Approach for IT Professionals and Employers

Abby Krane is the Technical Program Manager at Global Lynx, with a background in technical training, CompTIA technologies, and learner support. She focuses on helping individuals build practical IT skills and advance their technology careers.

Manuel García is Director of Operations at Global Lynx, with more than 17 years of experience in IT training, workforce development, and corporate education. He focuses on skills-first learning, career pathways, and workforce-ready technology programs.

Closing the Cybersecurity Talent Gap: A Skills-First Approach for IT Professionals and Employers

In this session we will explore one of cybersecurity’s biggest challenges: the shortage of qualified talent. The presentation will examine today’s cybersecurity workforce gap, why traditional hiring models often overlook capable candidates, and how a skills-first approach can help organizations build stronger talent pipelines. Topics will include the NICE Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity, building versus buying cyber talent, opportunities for IT professionals to transition into cybersecurity, and practical approaches to developing and validating job-ready cyber skills.