On this episode of Parabellum, John D’Annunzio, Vice President of North America for Cyberbit, and Teddy Guzek, Director of Cybersecurity for Eleven Fifty Academy, joined host Jason Claybrook, head of Marketing North America at Cyberbit, for a lively discussion on bridging the gap of cybersecurity knowledge in the business world.

Guzek provided an overview of his background in cybersecurity, and how Eleven Fifty recruited him to head up their cybersecurity program. Eleven Fifty is a non-profit, Indiana-based, learning academy featuring advanced coding boot camps for anyone who has a desire to learn to code or upskill their talent. Guzek uses his role at the Academy to connect employers with academy graduates and keeping up with the latest trends in cybersecurity.

Next, Guzek discussed penetration testing, which he referred to as ‘ethical hacking.’ Companies pay Guzek to break into their systems, analyze the weak areas, and provide solutions. Guzek’s worked with both large and small companies.

Claybrook introduced the hands-on role today’s CISO needs to play. Guzek said the range, ages, and backgrounds of today’s CISO’s vary by a wide degree. The conversation segued into the cybersecurity talent gap, and this is the area Eleven Fifty is concentrating on. Guzek stated a college education is not necessary to obtain a job in cybersecurity, but a rigorous training program that provides hands-on experience is. Eleven Fifty’s training, which they call a ‘boot camp’ uses the Cyberbit Range to train their cybersecurity students.

The conversation concluded with a reminder that cybersecurity is a field in need of skilled workers, and it can be a great opportunity for veterans seeking employment opportunities after their military service has ended. Eleven Fifty encourages veterans to consider a career in cybersecurity, and often their GI Bill benefits will cover the cost of the education and more.