“In the spring of 1999, the smash hit ‘The Matrix,’ one of the most popular hacking movies of all time, brought a rather important question to viewers: Who wouldn’t want to become a cybersecurity pro if you could, well, save the world?” Those opening lines of a recent Technical.ly DC article sets up a conversation about cybersecurity in the DMV area, the federal government’s role and how to engage professionals in this growing industry.

Electrosoft CEO Dr. Sarbari Gupta was among the cybersecurity thought leaders consulted for the article. She sees engaging young people – especially women – as essential for the industry’s success.

“That’s the place to start so that young people don’t feel like this is something out of their reach or not interesting enough,” Gupta told Technical.ly. “I mean, certainly, the movies have helped to kind of romanticize cybersecurity, but also makes it look difficult, which might be an off-putting thing for folks that are not naturally technically inclined.”

In the article, Gupta set an expectation that the need for cyber professionals will only continue to grow. She still expects a talent shortage five years from now.

“More and more young people will study to get into this field or get into jobs where they get trained to be cyber analysts and engineers,” Gupta said. “However, the demand is going to continue to skyrocket because as more and more things are connected to the internet and connected with one another, there’re only going to be more threats, more types of attacks.”

To read Dr. Gupta’s full remarks, along with reflections from other cybersecurity leaders, read the Technical.ly DC article.

About Electrosoft

Electrosoft delivers comprehensive technology-based solutions and services that propel mission success for federal government customers. Specializing in cybersecurity, Electrosoft supports civilian and defense organizations in advancing cybersecurity postures, modernizing technology ecosystems and adopting agile approaches to improve operational efficiency and security. Recognized for deep domain knowledge and mature management practices, the company is rated at Maturity Level 3 for CMMI-DEV and CMMI-SVC, and is certified under ISO 9001, ISO 20000-1 and ISO 27001. The rapidly growing 8(a), economically disadvantaged women-owned small business (EDWOSB) and WOSB is headquartered in Reston, Virginia. Learn more at www.electrosoft-inc.com