Cybersecurity Has an Entry Problem, Not an Interest Problem | Harsh Kashiparekh & Josh Mason
Source: YouTube · GRC Engineering Club · published Sep 26, 2026 · 39:16
BLUF: Harsh and Josh discuss their initiatives to bridge the gap between academic institutions and industry demands for GRC engineering and cybersecurity education through accessible online platforms and community support.
Key Takeaways:
• Harsh introduces Securis 360 and the Securities Academy, an e-learning platform designed to bridge the opportunity gap by providing trending training materials and LMS access to universities 1:07.
• The collaboration with the GRC Engineering Club aims to build foundational courses that help students understand frameworks like ISO 27001 and NIST CSF 2.0, addressing the lack of accessible training for auditors 3:26.
• Josh highlights his nonprofit New Village, which supports the cybersecurity community at Defcon by mentoring newcomers and reducing gatekeeping, fostering a more welcoming environment for those entering the field 1:54.
• The speakers emphasize that traditional university curricula often lag behind industry needs, making agile, industry-led training essential for students to gain relevant skills and certifications like those from EC-Council 4:15.
• By offering incentives for students to take exams and partnering with institutions globally, they aim to make high-quality GRC and security education more equitable and widespread 5:57.
The conversation underscores the importance of agile, industry-driven education in combating the "experience paradox" where entry-level roles require prior experience. Such collaborations are vital for preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.
Sources:
- 1:07 Introduction to Securis 360 and the Securities Academy's mission to bridge educational gaps.
- 3:26 Details on the collaboration with GRC Engineering Club to create accessible training content.
- 1:54 Josh's background with New Village and mentoring at Defcon.
- 4:15 Discussion on the limitations of university curricula and the need for nimble, industry-led training.
- 5:57 Expansion efforts and incentives for students to access certifications.
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First 800 characters of the transcript
Welcome friends to another scintillating edition of the anti-checkbox podcast. I it's been an embarrassment of riches this week. I've been joined uh you know twice now by uh the amazing uh Lauren from from the club, our head of everything good at the club. I I don't she wears many hats there. Hopefully, you know, I'm I'm doing her justice there. But I we're I want to talking fast because I want to get into it. There's a lot that I think our guests are going to want to uh chop up and get into, but I will kick it off to Lauren to do her intro. Lauren, welcome. >> Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you, Omar. You just flattered me. Thank you, everyone. I'm so excited to be here. Like Omar said, we've had an amazing roster this week. So, I'm so excited to to hear about Harsh and Jason and and wha…