In Part 1 of this series, we addressed The Broken Handoff, the breakdown in communication between training programs and employers that leaves qualified candidates...
Cybersecurity is a team sport, but education and employers are often working from different playbooks. Despite major investments in training and a deep pool of motivated candidates, the handoff between learning and hiring remains broken. Without a shared definition of what “job-ready” means, critical information gets lost in translation, and capable candidates struggle to cross the finish line.
This post kicks off our four-part series dedicated to creating a shared connection point between these separate operational loops. Today, we explore how disconnected systems can limit even the most well-intentioned advisory boards, and how we can move beyond casual, spoken feedback toward a clear, standardized blueprint that connects training to hiring.
The sheer volume of our national training machinery is staggering. Today, the cybersecurity training ecosystem spans over 500 academic institutions, anchored by 470 elite NSA-designated centers. Running alongside higher education is a network of over 100 intensive tech bootcamps and more than 730 Registered Apprenticeship programs serving over 43,000 active apprentices nationwide.
When you pull the levers on all of these entities combined, this machine pumps an estimated 60,000 to 75,000 fresh candidates into the market every single year. It’s driven by over 38,000 traditional university grads paired with tens of thousands of accelerated bootcamp and apprenticeship finishers.
At the heart of almost every one of these 1,300+ diverse programs sits a localized, internal advisory board. Filled with dedicated CISOs, directors, and senior engineers who volunteer their time, these boards aim to ensure programs create the best possible local talent.
This involvement is a beautiful thing. Without these professionals showing up, training providers would be operating completely in the dark. In fact, we see firsthand that organizations often find the most success within their own board circles. It is incredibly common for a board member's company to hire directly from the program they support. This is a massive win for those specific individuals, and it proves that close collaboration works.
The systemic challenge, however, is expanding that traction beyond the board itself. Because these groups naturally focus on immediate, local relationships, they inadvertently build isolated pockets of readiness. A candidate might be perfectly aligned with one board member's unique environment, but find themselves speaking a different language when they apply to the employer next door. Without a broader standard, we accidentally trade market-wide scalability for highly localized success stories.
To understand why this disconnect is so systemic, we have to look at the vastly different realities shaping both sides of the table. They aren’t just miscommunicating; they are operating under entirely different, non-negotiable industry rules.
For employers, cybersecurity is a continuous risk-management function. Every hiring decision is weighed against corporate liability, cyber insurance requirements, and strict regulatory compliance. Because of this high-stakes pressure, they naturally seek a "Day One" plug-and-play analyst who knows their specific tool stack to bypass the dangerous learning-curve window.
Educators and training providers, on the other hand, are governed by rigid operational guardrails, whether that means strict academic accreditation mandates or specific workforce funding metrics. They cannot pivot course structures on a dime to match an individual employer's tool preference; updating a curriculum often requires navigating a complex web of bureaucratic or regulatory approvals. To scale and sustain their programs, they must focus on foundational concepts and standardized outcomes that meet their specific compliance and funding requirements.
While every piece of advice from these security leaders is entirely accurate, trying to patch competing, localized feedback together dilutes the curriculum. It forces educators to chase a moving target, creating a frustrating loop: programs build exactly what they think was requested, candidates study tirelessly, yet employers are still left with resumes that don't fit. To fix this "telephone game," we don't need to dissolve advisory boards—we just need to replace casual, subjective conversations with objective, shared standards.
1. Shift from Opinions to Frameworks
Instead of asking employers what skills they think they might need next year, advisory groups need to speak a common language. We must shift the conversation away from individual company wish lists and anchor it to established industry frameworks like NIST/NICE, CMMC, or CIS Controls. Mapping curriculum to these recognized national work roles replaces subjective corporate opinions with objective skills maps that every security leader respects and understands.
2. Standardize Around Regional Market Demands
A successful talent pipeline must reflect the unique economic makeup of its community. Regional employers should use these national frameworks to collectively define a shared, baseline standard for what "entry-level" looks like in their specific market. This allows training providers to build programs around the regional requirements that apply to 80% of local jobs, rather than chasing the 20% of niche requirements that vary wildly from company to company.
3. Share Resources Across Pathways
The fragmentation gets worse when traditional higher education and non-traditional training programs operate in complete isolation. When universities, community colleges, and workforce nonprofits actively share their tools, cyber ranges, and hands-on simulation environments, everyone wins. Pooling these resources eliminates unnecessary competition for employer attention and gives employers a larger, more consistently prepared talent pool to choose from.
Mentorship from industry professionals is the lifeblood of workforce development. But if we want to stop the cycle of mismatched expectations, we have to upgrade how we communicate. We have to give educators a clear blueprint instead of a game of telephone.
Continue reading Part 2: The Supply Gap, where we explore the looming talent shortage facing the cybersecurity industry.
Fixing the broken handoff between training and hiring will take employers, funders, and volunteers working together to build a stronger cyber talent pipeline.
Ready to help build a cyber-ready community?
Before I dive into the data, I think it is worth sharing why this hits so close to home for me.
If you know the team at CyberUp or me, you know we live and breathe this work from our home base in St. Louis. Eight years ago, we launched the third Cybersecurity Analyst Registered Apprenticeship program in the country. Since then, we have had a front-row seat to the whole machine. We see the educators building the curriculum, the companies doing the hiring, and the public and private funders cutting the checks. It has been a wild roller coaster, but I am incredibly proud of what our alumni have achieved.
Recently, I spent a few days in Philadelphia at the NICE Conference. I look forward to it every year because it is really the operational heartbeat of cyber education in the United States. It is a room full of the most passionate minds you will ever meet, and everyone is grinding away to build a talent pipeline for our field.
Looking at the numbers and listening to colleagues, I kept coming back to one glaring conclusion. Our future cyber talent pipeline is in serious trouble.
Over the years, the industry told us candidates needed better critical thinking, stronger digital literacy, and deep hands-on skills. The ecosystem stepped up beautifully. We saw massive investments in training, the rise of great capture-the-flag events like the National Cyber League, innovative training labs like the AZ Cyber Initiative, and fully functioning campus Security Operations Centers at schools like Maryville University. Everyone was trying to make sure students were ready on day one.
Most of this was guided by industry pros volunteering on college advisory groups or nonprofit boards. That input is valuable, but it also creates a massive blind spot.
Security pros tend to define what it means to be job-ready through the lens of their own career path, their own company, and their own current tech stack. One employer wants Security Operations Center experience, another wants compliance, and the next person wants cloud, artificial intelligence, or incident response. Nobody is wrong, but together, it creates a totally fragmented picture of what the market actually expects.
That fragmentation makes it almost impossible for educators and training providers to build clear, scalable pathways. The issues are too big to dump into a single post, so I am breaking this down into a four-part series. We need to step back, look at the machinery of how we train and hire, and fix the cracks before the pipeline runs dry.
The candidates standing on the sidelines have already proven their grit. They have done the heavy lifting, changed their life trajectories, and mastered the technical fundamentals. They are standing at the 10-yard line, ready to go.
It is time to stop treating the skills gap like some unsolvable mystery. We need to look honestly at where the system is breaking down, because fixing it requires all of us. We need companies ready to hire differently, funders willing to anchor the community defense, and practitioners dedicated to mentoring the next generation.
This is just the beginning. Continue reading Part 1: The Broken Handoff: When “Job-Ready” Gets Lost in Translation, where we explore the disconnect between cybersecurity training and hiring.
Ready to take an active role in building a cyber-ready community? Explore CyberUp's pathways for employers, funders, and volunteers.
Long before Sai Taja Baddala began studying cybersecurity, one experience showed him just...
Jessica Hewitt’s path into cybersecurity started with a problem at home: removing viruses from computers after her children downloaded gaming modifications and clicked unsafe links.
As Jessica learned how to remove the viruses and trace where they came from, she realized how much she enjoyed the problem-solving process. That experience sparked her interest in pursuing cybersecurity as a career.
“I liked fixing what was going on and trying to get rid of the source,” Jessica said.
That curiosity led Jessica to online cybersecurity courses and technical labs, but learning on her own was often frustrating. When instructions skipped steps or labs did not work, she had no one to turn to for specific guidance.
After Hiring Our Heroes introduced her to CyberUp, Jessica saw LevelUp as the structured, supportive learning environment she had been looking for.
After learning some cybersecurity on her own, Jessica was unsure what to expect from a group-based program. But LevelUp quickly gave her something independent courses could not: people she could turn to when she got stuck.
Instead of searching online for answers, she could ask questions in real time, work through challenges with her classmates, and receive direct guidance from instructors Kyle and Eddie.
“I could talk to the group and have a teacher there to say, ‘This isn’t working. I’m not quite understanding this,’” Jessica said.
That support helped make difficult material feel more manageable. Her classmates brought encouragement and humor to the experience, while her husband helped at home so she could stay focused during demanding weeks. Together, that support system gave Jessica the confidence to keep moving forward.
As Jessica moved deeper into the program, some topics came more easily than others. Policies were especially challenging, and she worried about whether she would remember the material when it was time to take the certification exam.
Rather than moving on and leaving students to work through those gaps alone, instructor Kyle built review into the learning process. Interactive quizzes and group activities gave Jessica and her classmates opportunities to revisit difficult concepts, identify what they were still struggling with, and practice until the material began to make sense.
“We would review what we couldn’t remember the week before and focus on what we were struggling with,” Jessica said. “That really helped make things click.”
Over time, the repetition and direct feedback began to change how Jessica saw herself as a learner. She became more comfortable answering questions, more willing to work through unfamiliar material, and more confident in what she knew. What had once felt overwhelming became manageable with the right instruction, practice, and support.
As Jessica prepared to move from training into the workforce, mock interviews became one of the most challenging parts of LevelUp. She worried about what employers would expect her to know and whether she could communicate her skills confidently under pressure.
The mock interview practice gave her a chance to work through those fears before facing a real hiring team. That preparation was put to the test when she interviewed for a cybersecurity apprenticeship with a local employer.
The interview included nearly an hour of technical questions. Jessica left convinced that she had not done well, but the hiring team saw something she had not yet fully recognized in herself: the knowledge, preparation, and potential to succeed in the role.
She was selected for the apprenticeship, giving her the opportunity to apply what she had learned through LevelUp in a professional environment.
“I’m excited to actually put everything that I’ve learned through the program and the different labs into practice,” she said.
Through LevelUp, Jessica earned her CompTIA Security+ certification, built professional connections, and gained greater confidence in her ability to succeed in cybersecurity.
Before the program, she often questioned whether she truly understood the material. Now, she feels more secure in her knowledge and better prepared to answer technical questions, communicate what she has learned, and continue developing her skills.
Jessica is especially interested in vulnerability management, but she is also eager to explore other areas of cybersecurity and gain a clearer understanding of where her interests and strengths may lead.
When asked what the version of herself from before LevelUp would think about where she is today, Jessica said:
“Two thumbs up. Way to go! You actually did it.”
Her experience also taught her that struggling with unfamiliar material does not mean someone is incapable of succeeding.
“It’s okay to allow yourself to struggle,” Jessica said.
She encourages others to keep going when they encounter something they do not understand and to seek support from the instructors, mentors, and peers around them.
Jessica’s journey shows what can happen when curiosity is supported by structured training, dedicated instructors, and a community willing to help. What began with troubleshooting computers at home grew into the knowledge, confidence, and opportunity she needed to begin building a career in cybersecurity.
Congratulations, Jessica! We’re proud to have been part of your journey from curiosity to confidence and excited to see you put your skills into practice as you begin your cybersecurity apprenticeship.
If you're an employer looking for driven, hands-on cybersecurity talent like Jessica, CyberUp’s Apprenticeship Program can connect you with candidates who are trained, motivated, and ready to contribute on day one.
Before CyberUp, Louis Sinn was already developing the skills cybersecurity demands. He had worked in retail management, earned a master’s degree in business finance, spent time in financial advising, and taught himself programming while exploring what came next.
His career path had not followed a straight line, but every step gave him something valuable: business knowledge, problem-solving experience, discipline, and the ability to keep learning when the path ahead was unclear.
Cybersecurity started to feel like the right fit because it matched the way Louis already thought.
“I’ve always loved a game or a challenge,” Louis said. “And I love puzzles.” But for Louis, cybersecurity was not just about solving technical problems. It was about protecting people. He saw how scams, data breaches, social engineering, and cyber threats had become part of everyday life, and he wanted to help change that.
When Louis moved back to St. Louis, he began looking for a way to turn his interest and self-taught technical skills into a real career opportunity. Traditional job searching was not getting him where he wanted to go. Then he found CyberUp.
At first, Louis wondered if the opportunity was real. CyberUp seemed to offer exactly what had been missing from his job search: structure, support, and a connection to the cybersecurity industry.
“They sound like they’re offering a lot,” Louis said. “Then I realized it was a nonprofit.”
For Louis, that made the opportunity feel different. CyberUp was not just offering training. It was built to help people connect their potential to real career pathways.
Through CyberUp’s LevelUp Training, Louis gained more than preparation for cybersecurity concepts. He gained real-world context. Before the program, he had mostly thought about cybersecurity from a technical standpoint. LevelUp helped him understand what businesses are actually dealing with, which threats are affecting organizations, where to find reliable information, and how technical knowledge connects to practical workplace needs.
Louis already had the curiosity and technical drive. CyberUp helped him strengthen the professional tools around it, including his resume, interview readiness, and confidence speaking with industry professionals. He credits resume support as one of the most valuable parts of the experience.
“I wasn’t getting any interviews anywhere,” Louis said. “It was nice to have someone sit down and really talk through all the finer points of it.”
The mock interview experience also made a lasting impact. Louis said the volunteers took the process seriously, and the experience helped him build connections with real industry professionals. It gave him a clearer sense of what employers were looking for and helped him feel more prepared for future conversations.
For Louis, CyberUp’s support came from many directions. Instructors helped break down technical concepts, industry professionals brought real-world examples into the classroom, and classmates challenged each other through discussion, review, and hands-on practice.
That mix mattered. Louis was not just memorizing information for a certification exam. He was learning how to think through problems, explain what he was seeing, and apply the material in ways that felt connected to real cybersecurity work.
“There were all these different approaches,” Louis said. “We got hands-on practice, so every type of learning was covered.”
Now, Louis is continuing his cybersecurity journey through an apprenticeship opportunity and staying connected to CyberUp by volunteering with PowerUp, where he helps introduce younger students to cybersecurity and online safety.
His advice for anyone considering cybersecurity is to stay curious, keep learning, and give yourself permission to pursue a path that may not look traditional. For Louis, the first step was not having every answer. It was being willing to keep going until the right opportunity came into focus.
“You may not know whether cybersecurity is the right fit until you try it,” Louis said. “It’s a broad field, and there may be a path in it that matches your strengths.”
Louis’ story is a reminder that cybersecurity talent is not limited to one background, one degree, or one traditional path. CyberUp graduates often come from other industries with years of professional experience already behind them. They have led teams, served customers, solved problems under pressure, managed responsibilities, and learned how to adapt.
CyberUp helps them connect that experience to cybersecurity, build the technical skills employers need, and move into opportunities where their full background becomes part of their value.
Congratulations, Louis. We are proud to have been part of your journey and look forward to seeing the impact you continue to make in cybersecurity and in the CyberUp community.
If you're an employer looking for driven, hands-on cybersecurity talent like Louis, CyberUp’s Apprenticeship Program can connect you with candidates who are trained, motivated, and ready to contribute on day one.
If you’re curious about cybersecurity but don’t yet have your CompTIA Security+ certification, CyberUp’s LevelUp Training program might be the perfect place to start. We provide accessible, self-paced training to help you earn your certification and prepare for apprenticeship opportunities.
When Jessica Lee began her apprenticeship with CyberUp, she was stepping into a new professional environment with unfamiliar tools, terminology, and expectations. In her apprenticeship role, she started learning how analysts review information, respond to customer needs, and investigate security activity.
The work required her to process a lot of new information quickly. Jessica had to become familiar with cybersecurity language, internal tools, and the details that go into understanding tickets. Instead of backing away from the challenge, she focused on learning, applying feedback, and improving over time.
During the first few months of her apprenticeship, Jessica began building the core skills needed to understand the work of a cybersecurity analyst. She strengthened her ability to analyze data, read and process information, understand customer needs, and become more familiar with cybersecurity terminology.
One of the most impactful parts of her experience was learning how to work within professional cybersecurity systems and processes. Through that work, Jessica gained a better understanding of log sources, IPS, customer needs, and host and user investigations. As she worked through tickets, she practiced analyzing information, seeking clarification, and applying feedback from engineers.
Over time, that repetition helped Jessica connect the dots between what she was learning and how the work applied in practice. Each ticket gave her another opportunity to review information more carefully, strengthen her investigation skills, and build confidence in the process.
At first, adjusting to new programs and processes felt intimidating. Jessica had to adjust to new tools, company-specific terminology, and the expectations of working inside a cybersecurity company. Instead of letting that uncertainty stop her, she used it as a reason to keep learning. With guidance from her team, she worked through challenges and continued improving.
Jessica’s apprenticeship was not only about technical growth. It was also about building confidence in a professional cybersecurity environment.
As she continued learning, Jessica became more comfortable explaining her work, helping others, and contributing to her team. She developed stronger problem-solving skills and learned how to stay open-minded when facing challenges. Feedback from supervisors and mentors helped her identify areas for improvement, and she used that guidance to keep growing.
Her team environment also played an important role in her experience. Jessica built strong relationships with team members and engineers, and she felt welcomed and supported throughout her apprenticeship. That sense of community helped her stay engaged as she continued learning and taking on new responsibilities.
CyberUp also provided support along the way. During her check-ins, Syanne Fontanilla, CyberUp’s Apprenticeship and Alumni Coordinator, encouraged Jessica to reflect on her progress and recognize how much she had accomplished since beginning the apprenticeship.
By the end of her apprenticeship, Jessica’s role and responsibilities had evolved. She was gaining confidence in explaining her work, helping others, strengthening her skills, and meeting the expectations of her role.
That growth led to an important career milestone: Jessica completed her apprenticeship and accepted a full-time role as a security analyst.
For Jessica, the transition from intern to security analyst marked an important step forward in her cybersecurity career. It reflected the skills she built, the feedback she applied, and the persistence she showed as she worked through new tools, terminology, and expectations.
Jessica is especially proud of the certifications and assessments she passed during her journey, including earning her Security+ certification. Those accomplishments reflected what she had learned and her commitment to continuing her education.
Looking back, Jessica described the experience as impactful. The apprenticeship gave her a clearer understanding of cybersecurity work and helped her recognize the progress she had made since starting the program.
Jessica’s cybersecurity journey continues with a strong foundation. After completing her apprenticeship, she shared that she plans to keep learning and continue pursuing additional certifications as she grows in her role.
Her experience gave her more than technical knowledge. It helped her build confidence, apply feedback, strengthen her problem-solving skills, and better understand the day-to-day work of cybersecurity analysts.
Jessica’s advice to future apprentices is simple and honest:
“Push through the challenges and enjoy the journey.”
That advice reflects the reality of starting a new career path. There will be new terminology to learn, tools that take time to understand, and moments when the next step feels uncertain. But Jessica’s experience shows that those moments are part of the process.
By staying engaged, applying feedback, and continuing to learn, she turned uncertainty into confidence and an apprenticeship into a full-time cybersecurity career.
Jessica’s apprenticeship shows how much growth can happen when someone has the opportunity to learn on the job, receive support, and keep improving through each new challenge.
Congratulations, Jessica. Your hard work and persistence helped you take an important step forward in your cybersecurity career, and we’re proud to share your story.
If you're an employer looking for driven, hands-on cybersecurity talent like Jessica, CyberUp’s Apprenticeship Program can connect you with candidates who are trained, motivated, and ready to contribute on day one.
If you’re curious about cybersecurity but don’t yet have your CompTIA Security+ certification, CyberUp’s LevelUp Training program might be the perfect place to start. We provide accessible, self-paced training to help you earn your certification and prepare for apprenticeship opportunities.
When Jacob Fulgham began his cybersecurity journey, he was part of one of CyberUp’s final self-paced training cohorts before the program transitioned to its current instructor-led format. The self-paced classes required a lot of discipline and time management to complete, but Jacob was up for the challenge. With a background in help desk support and a strong interest in building a long-term career in cybersecurity, Jacob was drawn to the field for its problem-solving nature, stability, and opportunities for specialization. He was specifically drawn to CyberUp’s training class for the flexibility it allowed him to work a full-time job while also studying for his CompTIA Security+ certification.
From the beginning, Jacob approached his career with intention. He maintained consistent communication with CyberUp staff, actively seeking opportunities and preparing himself for the next step. His persistence and willingness to advocate for himself set the tone for his success early on.
During his apprenticeship with a managed IT company, Jacob expanded his technical skill set while gaining exposure to a variety of responsibilities. Working in a smaller organization allowed him to contribute across multiple areas, from supporting cybersecurity operations to improving documentation and system processes.
His ability to adapt and take initiative became one of his strongest assets. Rather than waiting for direction, Jacob leaned into challenges, using each experience as a chance to grow. This mindset allowed him to continuously build knowledge while making meaningful contributions to his team.
Like many entry-level cybersecurity professionals, Jacob faced challenges as he navigated evolving responsibilities and worked to define his role more clearly. What set him apart was how he handled those challenges.
He remained proactive in communicating with both his employer and CyberUp staff, ensuring he stayed aligned and continued progressing. In addition, he dedicated months to preparing for interviews, refining his skills, and building confidence.
“Communication is key. Keeping that communication open helped resolve a lot of things and allowed me to understand my role better.”
This combination of persistence, preparation, and communication played a critical role in his development and eventual success.
Throughout his apprenticeship, Jacob stayed focused on long-term growth. He worked toward additional certifications like CompTIA’s CySA+ certification while strengthening his technical foundation and exploring different areas within cybersecurity.
His hands-on experience helped him identify a growing interest in governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) roles. By the later stages of the program, he had developed a clear understanding of how his strengths aligned with this path.
His contributions focused on improving systems, strengthening documentation, and supporting secure, efficient operations. Work that has added lasting value to his organization.
Jacob’s journey highlights the importance of taking ownership of your path. His advice to future apprentices reflects the mindset that helped him succeed:
"Keep your initial goals in mind. This is your breakout role, and whatever you get out of it is beneficial. Lean into the experience.”
He emphasizes the importance of staying engaged, continuously learning, and actively pursuing opportunities rather than waiting for them.
Jacob’s story is a strong example of how self-advocacy, persistence, and preparation can open doors in cybersecurity. By staying committed and proactive, he was able to turn opportunity into a clear career direction.
At CyberUp, we believe strong pathways into cybersecurity careers are built through opportunity, persistence, and support. Jacob’s journey demonstrates how initiative and continuous learning can create lasting career momentum.
Congratulations, Jacob. Your dedication, persistence, and commitment to growth have set a strong foundation for your future in cybersecurity, and we’re proud to have you in the CyberUp community.
If you're an employer looking for driven, hands-on cybersecurity talent like Sean, CyberUp’s Apprenticeship Program can connect you with candidates who are trained, motivated, and ready to contribute on day one.
If you’re curious about cybersecurity but don’t yet have your CompTIA Security+ certification, CyberUp’s LevelUp Training program might be the perfect place to start. We provide accessible, self-paced training to help you earn your certification and prepare for apprenticeship opportunities.
When Sean Boyd started his apprenticeship with CyberUp, he was stepping into a brand new
arena. He came in with experience supporting teams in radio sales but wanted to apply his
skills in a space that was fast moving and full of possibility. Cybersecurity gave him that
chance. Over twelve months, he learned new tools, earned certifications, and discovered
what kind of learner he really is.
That year was not just about checking boxes or getting through assignments. It was about
learning how he works best when the pressure is on. Sean figured out his own learning style,
where he feels confident, and where he still wants to grow. Along the way, he moved from
apprentice to full time team member, proof that his steady effort was paying off.
Sean’s biggest milestones are easy to name. He received a full-time offer and earned two
professional certifications during his apprenticeship. Those achievements showed him that
he could adapt to a new field and still perform at a high level. They also gave him
momentum to keep improving his skills over time.
He spent much of his apprenticeship working on cybersecurity projects that required both
structure and creativity. One effort involved the NHI project, where he helped document
processes and create training materials. He also worked on standard operating procedures
for his team’s site, making sure information was clear and easy to follow. These tasks tapped
into his strengths as a communicator and organizer.
Sean has always enjoyed jobs where every day brings something new. Cybersecurity
delivered that in a big way. He liked that the work kept him on his toes and required constant
learning. The variety of projects made it clear that there are always new ways to provide
value, which fits his passion for learning and problem solving.
One of the hardest parts of Sean’s apprenticeship was adapting to new systems and
software. Tools like ServiceNow were brand new to him. At first, simply figuring out how to
navigate the platform and complete tasks felt like a big hurdle. Instead of getting
discouraged, he set aside time to explore the tool, test things out, and learn how it all fit
together.
Later in the program, he took on a project documenting the Azure onboarding process for
his company. His job was to lay out clear steps using templates and examples from earlier
work. He was still getting into the rhythm of the project, but he found it rewarding to reach
that point and contribute to something that would help others. Outside that effort, his daily
tasks included team building activities and organizing internal documentation so his
coworkers could find what they needed.
Studying for exams was another ongoing challenge. Sean worked through material for RTI
and another job-related test, using both books and videos to learn from different angles.
Practice tests helped the information stick and showed him where he needed to focus. Time,
not interest, was the biggest barrier, so he knew he needed better habits to keep moving
forward.
To balance studying with life outside of work, Sean leaned on planners and calendars. He
used both physical and digital tools to track deadlines, study blocks, and personal priorities.
That structure helped him manage his schedule instead of feeling controlled by it. It also
gave him a sense of control when project demands and learning goals were competing for
his time.
Staying informed about what is happening in cybersecurity became part of his routine as
well. Sean subscribed to daily newsletters like the Daily Buzz and checked updates on his
company’s homepage. He talked with friends in the field and used LinkedIn to follow
industry news. Stories about scams and phishing attacks reminded him that the work he was
learning to do had a real impact on people’s lives.
As the months went by, Sean’s growth was not only technical. He became more engaged
with coworkers and more comfortable collaborating across the team. His days involved
supporting others, organizing information, and taking part in team building. That steady
involvement helped him build relationships and find his voice in group settings.
CyberUp played a strong role in his development. Regular check-ins with Syanne created a
space to talk honestly about progress, goals, and challenges. The program helped boost his
confidence and showed him that there are always opportunities to grow if you are willing to
put in the work. When he needed resources or guidance for exams, CyberUp was there to
help.
Over time, Sean’s ideas about his career path in cybersecurity started to shift. At first, he was
interested in threat detection. As he learned more about the field, he found himself drawn
toward cybersecurity sales, where he could combine technical understanding with his
background in supporting clients. The idea of helping organizations choose the right security
products, like threat protection tools, fit both his skills and interests.
Through it all, a few themes stand out in how Sean approaches his work:
He takes a steady, “slow and sure” approach to learning.
He uses structure, like planners and calendars, to balance life and career.
He seeks out news and conversations to stay current in the field.
He values clear communication and documentation that help entire teams succeed.
Looking back, Sean names self-confidence and perseverance as the most valuable lessons
from his apprenticeship. He learned to trust his ability to figure things out, even when the
tools or tasks were unfamiliar. He also learned that progress is not about racing other people.
It is about staying focused on your own goals and moving forward at a pace you can sustain.
His advice to new apprentices is simple but powerful. Take a deep breath and remember that
it is a journey, not a race. There will be moments that feel overwhelming, but you do not need
to compare yourself to anyone else. If you stay focused on learning, ask for help when you
need it, and keep going even when things are hard, your progress will add up. Sean’s story
shows that with that mindset, an apprenticeship can be the first step into a long and
meaningful career in cybersecurity.
At CyberUp, we believe the cybersecurity workforce grows stronger when people are given the chance to learn, contribute, and grow into leaders. Sean’s journey shows what can happen when you take a deep breath and remember it's a journey and not a race.
Congratulations, Sean. We’re proud to have you in the CyberUp community and look forward to seeing where your career takes you next.
If you're an employer looking for driven, hands-on cybersecurity talent like Sean, CyberUp’s Apprenticeship Program can connect you with candidates who are trained, motivated, and ready to contribute on day one.
If you’re curious about cybersecurity but don’t yet have your CompTIA Security+ certification, CyberUp’s LevelUp Training program might be the perfect place to start. We provide accessible, self-paced training to help you earn your certification and prepare for apprenticeship opportunities.
When Ally Lynch stepped into her cybersecurity apprenticeship through CyberUp, she knew she was walking into a brand new world. She had moved to North Carolina, shifted away from more manual work, and joined a field where challenges never really stop. Instead of being intimidated, she treated each new task as a puzzle to solve. Over the course of the year, that mindset helped her grow into someone her team now turns to for guidance and support.
From building canvas apps to tracking cybersecurity metrics, Ally’s work has been both technical and people-centered. She has learned how to manage complex projects, navigate busy seasons, and stay steady after unexpected life events. Along the way, she discovered that growth is not just about skills on a resume. It is also about how you show up for others and how they show up for you.
One of Ally’s proudest accomplishments was becoming the first person on her team to dive into the Canvas app assessment. Self-guided learning laid the foundation for everything that came next.
As the project grew, new teammates joined and needed help ramping up on canvas apps. Because she had been there from the beginning, Ally was able to mentor them and troubleshoot their questions. She shifted from being the newest learner to someone others looked to for direction. That experience showed her that expertise can come from curiosity and persistence, not just years of experience.
Ally also found real joy in working with coworkers from different backgrounds and personalities. Every teammate brought a different style, pace, and way of thinking. Learning how to collaborate with so many types of people became a major growth moment for her. It helped turn the workplace into a community where she felt like she truly belonged.
Her day to day work spans more than one project at a time. She helps collect cybersecurity metrics every quarter and is working with a coworker to automate the data collection process. Many of the projects in her department are ongoing, and some will never have a clean finish line because the data needs change all the time. That long term nature has pushed her to think like a builder, not just a box checker, especially as she begins building out Power BI dashboards.
One of the toughest parts of Ally’s apprenticeship has been learning how to manage her time. Her work involves several long-term projects, ongoing support requests, and busy periods when the workload grows fast. It took time to figure out how to organize her days, protect space for deep work, and still be available when others needed help. Practicing those habits every day has made a noticeable difference in how she feels at work.
Daily standups and regular check-ins with her team have also helped her stay grounded. Ally feels well supported by her colleagues and manager, who give her room to ask questions and share updates. At times, she has felt overwhelmed, especially when projects pile up or timelines stretch longer than expected. Yet she continues to learn from those moments instead of backing away from them.
Like many people in tech, Ally has wrestled with imposter syndrome. Even with strong performance and positive feedback, it can be easy to doubt your place in the room. Constructive feedback from her manager helped her see her strengths more clearly and identify specific ways to grow. She has been intentionally speaking up more in meetings, sharing her ideas, and reminding herself that her perspective matters.
Life outside of work has brought its own challenges. After a car accident during a vacation that totaled her car, Ally faced not only physical recovery but also the mental and emotional impact of getting back on the road. Her manager responded with understanding and gave her the time she needed to focus on healing. Conversations with Syanne from CyberUp offered extra empathy and space to process what happened. That support reinforced the idea that a healthy work culture cares about the whole person, not just their output.
Throughout her apprenticeship, Ally has enjoyed the daily challenges that come with working in cybersecurity. Her role is more cybersecurity adjacent than directly offensive or defensive, yet she still feels connected to a larger mission. She works with data that supports the cybersecurity team, and solving problems in that space feels meaningful and rewarding. Knowing that her work ties into the bigger picture of protecting the organization keeps her motivated.
Ally is also thinking ahead about where her career might go next. She appreciates her current position and feels like she is still learning and being challenged every day. She plans to request the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification and sees that as one way to deepen her technical foundation. At the same time, she is curious about shifting into software development inside the company so she can use more of her coding skills, especially Python, and see what that world looks like up close.
Taking care of herself has become an important part of her professional growth. Ally has learned the value of sticking to a schedule, communicating clearly with her boss, and taking breaks throughout the day. After transitioning from a more physically demanding job, she is now in a role that gives her room to focus on long-term health and happiness. That balance has helped her see a future in tech that feels sustainable.
She also understands how important it is to stay informed in a fast-moving industry. Ally listens to podcasts, reads blogs, and explores resources shared through CyberUp emails and alumni portals to keep up with trends like artificial intelligence. She knows that staying curious about what is happening in the world will help her remain relevant and confident in her career. Outside of work, she makes time for hobbies and even volunteers to plant trees in a national forest, which reflects her desire to contribute beyond her desk.
Looking back, Ally sees that the most valuable lesson from her apprenticeship is the power of mutual support. She has learned how to step into more of a project management role while remaining someone others can trust for guidance. At the same time, she has allowed herself to receive help, whether through mentorship, team check-ins, or understanding after a difficult life event. Her advice to new apprentices is simple. Be patient with the training process, remember that your contributions matter even when you are still learning, build strong time management skills early, and look for chances to connect so you can grow together.
At CyberUp, we believe the cybersecurity workforce grows stronger when people are given the chance to learn, contribute, and grow into leaders. Ally’s journey shows what can happen when curiosity, persistence, and support come together. From tackling new technical challenges to mentoring teammates, she’s built skills that make a real impact on her team and organization.
Congratulations, Ally. We’re proud to have you in the CyberUp community and look forward to seeing where your career takes you next.
If you're an employer looking for driven, hands-on cybersecurity talent like Vermele, CyberUp’s Apprenticeship Program can connect you with candidates who are trained, motivated, and ready to contribute on day one.
If you’re curious about cybersecurity but don’t yet have your CompTIA Security+ certification, CyberUp’s LevelUp Training program might be the perfect place to start. We provide accessible, self-paced training to help you earn your certification and prepare for apprenticeship opportunities.