The cybersecurity workforce fell more than 2.7 million positions short in 2021, based on data from (ISC)2, a nonprofit association for information security leaders. And according to cybersecurity company Fortinet's research, the majority of employers struggle to recruit and retain cyber talent.

Cybersecurity and digital skills training firm ThriveDX, in partnership with NightDragon, a venture capital firm dedicated to cybersecurity businesses, is hoping to change that with the Cyber Talent Hub. Their goal with the hub is to bring educators and commercial and government employers together in an ecosystem designed to find and develop entry-level cyber candidates from US universities. The partners are expected to share their expertise and shape the knowledge and skills taught to novice and experienced cyber professionals. By contributing custom curriculum and content, they can ensure candidates in the hub's ecosystem are trained on necessary technology or services as they enter or move through the cyber workforce.

The initiative's founding industry partners include Carahsoft, Jacobs Engineering Group, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Mandiant, and Marsh. The four academic institutions for the initial launch are New York University, the University of Chicago, the University of Michigan, and the University of Wisconsin.

Students will have access to courses designed for specific jobs, equipping them with the skills they will need to jump into the cyber workforce. "It takes a village to address an immense industry-wide challenge such as the cybersecurity skills gap," says Dave DeWalt, founder and managing director of NightDragon. He believes this type of private-public partnership is a smart way to build a sustainable pipeline of highly trained individuals that can be matched with employer partners looking to fill vital cyber roles. ThriveDX and NightDragon plan to expand the hub with additional partners.