Wavestone is committed to fostering stronger connections between cybersecurity education and employment needs across Europe. By 2030, we will actively contribute to the development of early-career cybersecurity talent through structured internships, and partnerships with education and training providers.

Our pledge

Closing the cybersecurity skills gap requires structured pathways that connect learning with real operational experience and long-term employability.

Our initiatives 

Initiatives targeting young cybersecurity professionals 

1. Offer internships to support the transition from education to employment

Description: Wavestone commits to recruiting 5 to 10 cybersecurity interns by 2030 from the Industry Academia Network. This initiative targets candidates who have completed cybersecurity training programs but lack professional experience, addressing the gap between certification-based training and market expectations. Each trainee will:

• Be integrated into real client projects under senior consultant supervision
• Receive structured feedback on technical and professional skills
• Benefit from mentoring to support long-term employability in cybersecurity roles

This program directly addresses the industry challenge where trained candidates struggle to access roles due to insufficient hands-on experience.

Target audience: Cybersecurity students, Early-career cybersecurity professionals and career changers from the Cyber Industry Network

Location: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg, Switzerland

Languages: English, French, German

Cost: Free

Link to the initiative: N/A

       2. Partnerships with higher education and vocational training providers to align cybersecurity skills with labour market needs

Description: Wavestone commits to establishing partnerships with at least three European higher education institutions or vocational education and training providers by 2030. Through these partnerships, Wavestone will:

• Provide structured feedback on in-demand cybersecurity skills, roles and competences;
• Contribute industry-led lectures, workshops, and applied learning activities to help students develop market-relevant skills;
• Promote internship opportunities enabling students to gain practical exposure in cybersecurity consulting and operations

This initiative supports better alignment between training providers and employers, reducing the gap between certification, education and employability.

Target audience: Cybersecurity students and training institutions

Location: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland

Languages: French, English, German

Cost: Free

Link to the initiative: N/A

Wavestone is dedicated to reviewing and updating the status of this pledge every six months.

Background

The cybersecurity talent shortage is no longer solely a matter of headcount, but increasingly a skills and employability challenge.

• According to the ISC2 Cybersecurity Hiring Trends Report 2025, 90% of hiring managers prioritize candidates with hands-on IT or cybersecurity experience, while candidates with education alone are significantly less likely to be recruited.
• The ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study 2025 highlights that skills gaps now outweigh pure workforce shortages, with nearly all organisations reporting at least one critical cybersecurity skills gap.