The misunderstood cyber skills gap

There IS a gap — but it’s not a shortage of people, it’s a shortage of opportunity, imagination, and strategy.

We don’t need just more people; we need better hiring models, on-ramps, internships, apprenticeships, and employers willing to invest in juniors.

We’d love you to challenge this thinking, but after decades in the IT & Security industry our Founder & CEO Den Jones wanted to share his experiences and challenge the status quo.  

But then go one step further, we took action that we feel will help improve the situation.  We launched 909ic, a new platform aimed to connect cybersecurity students with top employers.

So lets dig into the skills gap topic, share what's going on, share some strategies leveraged by Den during his time at Adobe, Cisco and Banyan Security.  Then finally introduce the why behind 909ic.

🔐 The Cybersecurity Skills Gap: Real Crisis or Recruitment Myth?

Every few months, headlines scream about a looming cybersecurity skills crisis:
“3.5 million unfilled cyber jobs by 2025!”
“The cyber workforce can’t keep up with the threats!”

While those numbers grab attention, they don’t tell the full story. Yes, there is a cybersecurity talent issue — but it’s not simply a shortage of people. The real gap lies in mismatched expectations, outdated hiring practices, and a failure to invest in the next generation of talent.

So, let’s dig into what’s really going on — and what we can do about it.

🚧 The 5 Real Issues Behind the “Skills Gap”

1️⃣ Entry-Level Roles That Aren’t Entry-Level

One of the most frustrating trends? Jobs labeled “junior” or “entry-level” asking for 3–5 years of experience, multiple certifications, and tool-specific knowledge.

There are thousands of capable, hungry candidates — from students to career changers — who never even get a shot because the job description reads like a wish list for a unicorn. That’s not a skills gap. That’s a hiring gap.

2️⃣ Training and Mentorship Are Afterthoughts

Many companies want plug-and-play professionals — but very few invest in structured onboarding, internal training paths, or mentorship.

The result? Even when great junior candidates are hired, they’re often thrown into the deep end without support. Or worse, passed over entirely in favor of “senior talent” that doesn’t exist in the volume needed.

3️⃣ Certifications ≠ Readiness

The industry still over-indexes on degrees and certifications — but these often don’t reflect real-world readiness.

Can they think like an attacker? Analyze a phishing email? Write a threat model? Those aren’t skills you always learn in a classroom — yet they’re core to the job. We need more focus on practical, scenario-based evaluation, not just resume checkboxes.

4️⃣ Budget & Location Constraints

Mid-sized companies often can’t afford $180k+ for a senior security engineer — yet still hope to find local, in-office talent with 10+ years of experience.

That’s just not realistic. Meanwhile, remote-ready, flexible junior talent is available — but often overlooked. And because training takes time, companies don’t see them as a viable solution.

5️⃣ Lack of Diversity = Missed Opportunity

The cyber workforce remains disproportionately male, white, and degree-holding. That’s a problem.

There are countless talented individuals — from community colleges, bootcamps, veterans, underrepresented groups, and career-switchers — being ignored. If we’re serious about closing the gap, we need to start looking outside the “traditional” resume.

🧠 So… Is the Skills Gap Real?

Yes — but it’s not what you think.

It’s not that there aren’t enough people. It’s that we’re not building pathways for them to succeed.

💬 Let’s Rethink the Model - more than just an intern!

During Den’s career his teams have hired students as interns, but then retained a select few as part time employees.  This means while in school term they kept working for the team (usually around 10 hours per week).  

This model benefits students and employers:

👥 Students

✅ Obtain real world experience rather than irrelevant part time jobs

✅ Earn decent money

✅ Build their network and career prior to graduation day

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🏢 Employers

✅ Flexible workforce, especially for evenings and weekends

✅ Cost effective (especially for startups)

✅ Try before you buy concept with effective onboarding opportunities

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🤝 Mutual benefits

✅ Reduced cost hiring entry level roles

✅ Reduced competition during graduation season

✅ Flexibility for students and employers

✅ Instead of waiting for unicorn hires, grow talent from within.

This has so many upsides, but doesn't relinquish organizations from mentoring, educating and building high performing, exciting culture and teams.  It doesn't change your retention issues, but if you do it right you’ll find students bring passion, energy and deliver the goods.

The cyber threat landscape isn’t waiting. Neither should we.

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🚀  Introducing 909ic:  A modern platform built to bridge the gap between cybersecurity students and real-world employers.

The idea is simple: we connect emerging cyber talent with businesses looking for flexible, skilled, and motivated support — creating a win-win for both students and companies.

Whether you're a cyber student seeking hands-on experience and paid opportunities, or an organization needing cyber support without long hiring cycles or inflated consulting costs — 909ic makes it easy, efficient, and effective.

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💡 Why Does 909ic Exist?

The cybersecurity workforce problem isn’t just about a talent shortage — it’s about access, opportunity, and imagination.

Too many students can’t get experience because employers won’t hire them.
Too many companies need help but can’t afford senior-level hires or don’t know how to leverage early-career talent.

909ic was created to change that.

• We believe students should gain real-world experience before they graduate.
  
• We believe employers should have a smart, flexible way to tap into emerging talent.
  
• And we believe building the future of cybersecurity starts with investing in it — today.
  

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A simple kick start for students:

📝 1. Create an Account 

Sign up in seconds — it all starts here.

🧑‍💻 2. Set Up Your Profile

Showcase your bio, interests, and availability.

🤝 3. Connect with Employers

Employers seek you out then connect.

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An effective tool for employers:

📝 1. Create an Account 

Sign up in seconds — it all starts here.

🧑‍💻 2. Search or post

Search for students using a simple criteria or post a job.

🤝 3. Connect with Employers

Connect with matching students.

🏁 Conclusion - Are we there yet?

We’d love to think this will solve our skills gap issues, but the reality is that we’ve a long way to go.  But our strategy is not to over think it; no “intern program”? Don't worry, you’re looking for part time employees.  Build a program later.  You don't have time to groom students? You do if they are 70% lower cost than an FTE.

Following this method we’ve helped many people start their careers, one such example was Ryan Selewicz, now a VP of Marketing at a startup.  He had this to say:

Interning at Adobe for nearly three years during college was one of the best decisions I made—for both my education and my career. By the time I graduated, I had already built years’ worth of relationships, gained deep knowledge, and developed the confidence to hit the ground running. Interning helped me discover my purpose, develop my strengths, and it set me apart from my peers.

So we conclude…Cyber Students can help in a huge way, give them a shot..!

🔗 Learn more about how 909ic is changing the game: www.909ic.com