Hello all, About five years ago, I posted here while launching one of our early Pay What You Can classes. Since then, the industry has shifted. Hiring expectations are higher. Entry-level roles are more competitive. MITRE ATT&CK is common language now. AI is part of daily workflow. But the core issue hasn’t changed. There is still a gap between theory and real-world skills. Over the past five years, I’ve focused heavily on closing that gap. That has included expanding our Pay What You Can classes, building the ACE-T certification around demonstrable skill instead of memorization, and bringing in Free Lab Fridays so people have a place to practice in a safe environment. Those efforts came directly from watching where students struggle and where hiring managers get frustrated. So let’s talk about it. If you’re trying to break into cybersecurity, what should you actually be learning? If you’re mid-career, what skills are aging well? If you’re hiring, what are you not seeing from candidates? Ask me anything about: • Breaking into security in 2026 • Tradecraft vs certification paths • Offensive and defensive tracks • MITRE ATT&CK in practice • Hiring and mentorship • Building real skill Also, I am happy to answer any questions about instant decaf coffee and low sodium V8. For now, ask me anything. John Strand   submitted by   /u/strandjs [link]   [comments]