The Department of Defense is failing to keep pace with current cyber domain demands, with a 25% vacancy rate across the department.

Though recruiters often target science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) students, panelists at the Homeland Security Conference proclaimed most everyday citizens can be trained in the field.

“I would argue that I can take anyone that has a passion and interest and good character and work ethic, and teach them the basic fundamentals of cybersecurity,” said Eric Scott, Information and Cybersecurity Department director at Georgia Tech Research Institute.

Metro Atlanta Representative Sebastian Barron spoke on behalf of the office of Gov. Brian Kemp to inform conference attendees of the vast shortage in cyber professionals in the state of Georgia. Nevertheless, there are more than 1.2 million kids in K-12 in Georgia who could take over as the next generation of cyber professionals.

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