Growing Cyber Talent Through Public Private Partnerships 2025

The Trellix Emerging Students Cybersecurity Academy (TESCA) is a PPP focused on cultivating the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Through its programme, Trellix collaborates with universities, with the primary objective of augmenting and expanding learning opportunities for students pursuing STEM education and, specifically, cyber- focused degrees or certificates. Trellix contributes its expertise through hands-on workshops and training sessions, covering real-world scenarios such as incident response, blue/red-team exercises and malware analysis. University partners facilitate student participation and provide academic context. The programme has engaged more than 200 students to date, equipping them with practical cybersecurity skills and knowledge. TESCA aims to broaden its outreach to additional universities throughout 2025, further amplifying its impact on cybersecurity talent development. As Trellix connects with students in TESCA it builds relationships and a pipeline for its early-career talent programmes, including internship and apprenticeship programmes that offer hands-on, real-world experience for students while they work on their programme degrees.CASE STUDY 4 Trellix Emerging Students Cybersecurity Academy (TESCA) The Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) and the University of Technology of Troyes (UTT) have partnered on a digital forensics programme to tackle the cyber skills gap. The 11-week programme, adapted from UTT’s N-Tech course, provides hands-on training to police investigators on cybercrime. WB3C, funded by France, Slovenia and Montenegro, offers trainers and facilities and covers travel and accommodation costs, while UTT supplies the curriculum and instructors. Each participant receives a laptop with installed specialized forensic software and, upon passing a final exam, a recognized qualification. This programme directly addresses the immediate shortage of skilled cybercrime investigators and digital forensics experts by upskilling professionals already in the field, reducing case backlogs and enhancing law enforcement capacity. As the progress of Western Balkans states towards EU accession primarily relies on judicial reforms, the need to enhance the institutional and operational capacities of law enforcement and achieve full interoperability is a priority. To ensure long-term impact, WB3C and UTT are working to embed the digital forensics curriculum into local university programmes. University faculty members have been invited to participate in the current course to familiarize themselves with the content and methodology, enabling them to deliver the programme to future generations of students. This approach, resembling the train-the-trainer model, aims to institutionalize digital forensics education and create a lasting pipeline of qualified cyber professionals. The programme also engages accreditation bodies, police academies and other essential stakeholders to develop a standardized and sustainable educational framework. The WB3C-UTT partnership exemplifies how public and academic sectors can collaborate to address both immediate skills shortages and long-term capacity building.CASE STUDY 5 WB3C-UTT Partnership on Digital Forensics Ideas to inspire To educate and train cybersecurity professionals, PPPs could also assist with: –Provision of scholarships and financial assistance to individuals facing financial barriers to pursuing advanced education or certifications in cybersecurity. For example, back in 2013, the United Kingdom government partnered with an IT services and consulting company to provide cyber policy scholarships.25 Whereas the private- sector entities can offer grants or subsidized certification programmes to make training and education more accessible, public actors can help raise awareness about available scholarship opportunities or track the outcomes of scholarship programmes, ensuring that they are successfully supporting students in both their education and career goals. Growing Cyber Talent Through Public–Private Partnerships 13