Cybersecurity has no shortage of urgency, but it does have a shortage of people who are ready for the work as it actually happens. ISC2, a global cybersecurity professional association, estimates in its 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Study that 5.5 million professionals are working in cyber worldwide, yet the field still needs 4.8 million more to meet demand. That gap is not just a hiring problem; it is a training and mindset problem, especially when organizations need local talent that can think critically, adapt quickly, and respond to sophisticated threats in real time.

If the cyber workforce gap cannot be solved by resumes alone, how should the industry rethink who gets trained, how they are selected, and what it really takes to prepare them for the job?

In this episode of DisruptED, host Ron J. Stefanski speaks with Dean Gefen, Chief Executive Officer of nuKudo, about a new approach to cybersecurity talent development. The conversation explores why traditional hiring pipelines may be missing capable candidates, how nuKudo recruits from nontraditional talent pools, and why critical thinking, adaptability, and hands-on operational training may matter more than conventional credentials in today’s cyber environment.

Top insights from the talk…

Gefen explains nuKudo’s paid training model, which allows selected candidates to earn a salary while learning cybersecurity skills, reducing the financial barrier that often keeps talented people out of the field.
The episode examines why cybersecurity work requires a different mindset from traditional IT roles, with Gefen emphasizing critical thinking, adaptability, and the ability to respond to complex, changing threats.
Stefanski and Gefen discuss the growing risks facing companies, from state-level attacks to weak identity management, insufficient testing environments, and the need for organizations to better understand their attack surfaces.

Dean Gefen is a cybersecurity executive with more than 13 years of operational experience across cyber training, consulting, research, and organizational leadership. He currently serves as CEO of nuKudo and Group CEO of DART, and has advised governments across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East on building cyber operational units and training programs. His background includes senior roles with Red Alpha Cybersecurity, Israel’s National Cyber Security Authority, AppInsight, and the Israel Defense Forces’ Intelligence Corps, where he developed deep expertise in operational cyber capabilities and workforce development.