TekStream, a leading managed services firm providing digital resiliency services to modernize and secure its clients’ digital infrastructure, is bringing its Workforce Academy to EDUCAUSE 2025. During the annual conference, the company will participate in a breakout session titled “Leveling Up the SOC of Tomorrow Through Workforce Development Today” on Thursday, October 30, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. CT in Meeting Room 207 CD (Level 2).
The session will highlight TekStream’s collaborative efforts with Louisiana State University (LSU) and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) to develop the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Attendees will see how academic institutions and industry partners are bridging the skills gap through hands-on training, mentorship and measurable results.
Addressing the Cyber Talent Shortage with a Sustainable Model
With public-sector agencies and higher education institutions facing increasing cybersecurity challenges and constrained talent pipelines, TekStream’s workforce development model offers a compelling, scalable solution. The session agenda underscores:
- Experiential Learning in a Working SOC Environment – The program pairs students acting as security analysts with experienced professionals in real SOC settings. Students work on genuine security use cases, respond to incidents and learn about performance metrics such as mean time to respond (MTTR), use case complexity and analytic scoring.
- Academic Credentialing and Industry-Relevant Certification – Participants receive a transcript of their activities and credentials that align with industry standards. This dual approach helps graduates transition more smoothly into professional roles, supported by metrics, hands-on experience and employer-validated performance measures.
- Graduate Testimonials and Placement Results – Recent graduates will share how the training has enhanced their job readiness, along with metrics such as use case summaries, incident response performance, and analytical skills.
Launched in September 2025, TekStream’s Workforce Academy aims to speed up the readiness of future cybersecurity professionals amid the industry-wide talent shortage affecting both public and private organizations. Supported by leading cloud and cybersecurity partners, including Splunk and AWS, the program offers hands-on, real-world experience through a structured, self-paced format.
“In an era of rising cyber threats and growing regulatory and compliance pressures, public universities and government agencies must develop resilient security operations, yet many still struggle to find and keep skilled staff,” said Michael Fazely, SOC Manager at TekStream. “We’re eager to share, along with our partners, our cooperative approach with the EDUCAUSE audience. Together, we’ll showcase achieved results, lessons learned and best practices for CIOs, CISOs and university leaders.”
Panel participants include Michael Fazely; Micah Champagne, Security Analyst at TekStream; Sharon Kelley, Executive Director for Information Security and CISO at NJIT; and Craig Woolley, Chief Information Officer at LSU.
To learn more about the event and the breakout session, visit https://events.educause.edu/annual-conference/2025/agenda/leveling-up-the-soc-of-tomorrow-through-workforce-development-today.
About TekStream
TekStream, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a managed services firm providing digital resiliency services to modernize and secure its clients’ digital infrastructure. Named a Representative Vendor in the 2025 Gartner® Market Guide for Co-Managed Security Monitoring Services, TekStream is known for its world-class satisfaction by its approximately 200 active customers, the company’s services include cloud migration, managed detection and response (MDR), Security Operations Center (SOC), and workforce consulting capabilities for its commercial and government customer base. Focused on collaboration, shared intelligence, and workforce development, TekStream’s unique Whole-of-State cybersecurity approach addresses public-sector vulnerabilities. Built on TekStream’s Splunk-powered MDR services, the model combines workforce development with a cost-deferment strategy that empowers organizations to maintain long-term ownership of their programs. With hundreds of successful deployments, TekStream guarantees on-time and on-budget project delivery and proudly maintains a 98% customer retention rate.
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