Rick Lopez, an Associate Professor at Northeast Lakeview College (NLC) and former IT consultant.

Lopez explains he moved from industry to academia to “transfer skills,” using his Fortune 500 consulting background to teach students not just technical skills but also business communication and big-picture thinking.

Northeast Lakeview’s NSA Center of Academic Excellence designation drives a hands-on, workforce-ready curriculum, reinforced by labs, virtual environments, and the highly ranked NightHax competition team. Students gain experience through capture-the-flag–style competitions, conferences (like Texas Cyber Summit and BSides San Antonio), and Tech Talks with industry leaders, which also help them network and understand hiring trends.

Looking ahead, Lopez emphasizes that students should build skills in cloud computing, data analytics, and AI/automation, as these areas are increasingly central to cybersecurity careers.

Find more on this episode on Cybersecurity Guide.