The entry-level SOC role is undergoing a fundamental shift: the hours of grinding through manual alert triage are giving way to supervising autonomous AI agents doing the same work. Modern security analysts no longer spend their shifts writing manual queries for every repetitive alert. Instead, they oversee multi-agent investigation workflows, validate LLM inferences, and manage gated responses for high-consequence actions.
According to CyberEdge’s 2026 Cyberthreat Defense Report, nearly 97% of IT security organizations seek at least one AI-related skill in new hires. To help student-run SOCs keep up with this demand, Strike48 is launching the Strike48 University SOC Program.
This initiative provides qualified academic institutions with zero-cost access to Strike48’s enterprise-grade agentic orchestration platform for security operations. Universities can use the platform as a teaching aid in student-run SOCs, academic cyber clinics, and cybersecurity coursework.
Traditional cybersecurity curricula often rely on legacy SIEM querying, manual log parsing, and scripted SOAR playbooks. While these fundamentals remain important, entry-level analysts entering today's workforce need hands-on experience directing and governing AI-driven security architectures.
"The reality of working in a SOC is changing, and cybersecurity education needs to evolve with it," said Ken Naumann, CEO of Strike48. "Tomorrow’s security professionals won’t spend their careers manually working every alert. They’ll need to know how to direct, supervise, and build AI agents and workflows while understanding where human judgment and oversight still matter. We created this program to give accredited universities, colleges, and academic cyber labs access to the same technology used in enterprise environments so students can build those skills before they enter the workforce."
By giving students access to an active agentic SOC platform, institutions can prepare students to operate alongside AI agents at machine speed while instilling proper operational discipline.
Participating academic programs receive access to the same core technology deployed across enterprise SOCs and MSSPs, scoped specifically to support learning objectives:
The Strike48 University SOC Program is open to accredited higher education institutions offering cybersecurity degrees, active student-run SOCs, or academic cyber clinics.
Applications for the Strike48 University SOC Program are open. Faculty advisors, department chairs, and academic leads can learn more and apply by visiting [INSERT LINK].
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