Carolyn and Seth welcome Brad Powell, cofounder of ThreatCaptain, to talk about the cybersecurity skills needed in the market. CompTIA's State of Cybersecurity 2025 report suggested that companies are struggling to fully understand the details of skill gaps, and many cybersecurity professionals need to build a blend of technical and business skills in order to help establish best practices and then help drive ongoing operations.

Carolyn and Seth walk through the highlights of CompTIA's new State of Cybersecurity 2025 report. This annual study explores attitudes, strategies, and tactics around cybersecurity. This year's report uses the enterprise architecture model to lay out an organizational approach, starting with establishing priority at the business level, then moving through workflow considerations that include risk management and AI integration. At a more tactical level, companies then have to work through a process for data management and the details of securing all assets.State of Cybersecurity 2025: https://www.comptia.org/content/research/cybersecurity-trends-research

Carolyn and Seth talk with Suzanne Ricci, Chief Success Officer at Computer Coach, about the value of joining communities for IT professionals. In addition to her role at Computer Coach, Suzanne leads several meetups in the Tampa area as well as the online community Tech Success Network. Suzanne gives some ideas for finding a community for the first time, tips for the best ways to engage with an online community, and the benefits that communities bring IT pros as they start or build their careers.

Carolyn and Seth take a look at the biggest tech issues that will face government officials with the U.S. election coming up in November. Ai has dominated regulation discussion, but business owners should be sure to pay attention to the full range of regulations that require compliance. Antitrust is making more and more headlines, and there are major challenges in determining anti-competitive behavior. Infrastructure bills have begun expanding the country's digital footprint, but overhauling established systems isn't easy and new technology brings new cybersecurity threats. Through all these issues, there are questions of how to operate and cooperate internationally.

Carolyn and Seth take a listen to some audio captured during CompTIA's interview at RSA with Jason Bentley, director of security operations at UST HealthProof. Jason shared his perspective on the value of certifications in building and developing a technical team. Carolyn and Seth share their thoughts around the issues of certifications as one piece of the recruitment puzzle, the use of training/certifications to invest in long-term career growth, and the different formats of training that appeal to either individuals or managers.

Carolyn and Seth talk about CompTIA's recent data looking at technology trends across verticals. While many of the differences between industries are subtle, the motivations behind tech adoption and skill building can drive decisions. Across verticals, some of the common themes are balancing strategy and tactics with technology, a high level of interest in AI/automation, and building broad foundational skills before focusing on advanced specializations.

Carolyn and Seth talk about the latest approaches companies are taking around developing the skills of their workforce. Over 60% of companies claim to be using a well-defined skills framework, but that may be more of an aspirational statement as they also report challenges around defining skills and building a consistent methodology. Adding to the challenge, any skills framework needs to account for technical depth, technical breadth, and durable skills. There is likely quite a bit of work still to do in building an organization-wide process around using skills and work tasks to effectively hire and advance careers.

Carolyn and Seth talk about CompTIA's recent data around pathways for technology professionals. First, they look at the three buckets of skills that are needed--technical knowledge, the ability to apply that knowledge to solve problems, and durable skills like communications and teamwork. As companies drop requirements around college degrees, candidates still need to find a way to build all three skills. Then the two discuss the complexity of technology jobs. This complexity is a driver for high salaries, and it also appears to be the aspect of the job that is the most appealing for people as they pursue career changes.

Carolyn and Seth celebrate eight years of podcasting together by exploring what business leadership might look like eight years into the future. CompTIA President and CEO Todd Thibodeaux joins this episode to discuss the evolving role of technology in business operations, the complexities of employee dynamics, and the impact of social responsibility and philanthropy on modern organizations.

Carolyn and Seth use some recent CompTIA research data to dig into the true meaning of digital transformation. The label doesn’t apply very well to individual projects, but the two discuss the importance of having a long-term strategy, the shift from tactical to strategic IT, and the critical skills needed to navigate this complex landscape.