Marshall University is expanding hands-on cybersecurity experience for early-career students through a partnership with Intuit, aiming to address a key employer requirement: applicants who already have job-relevant experience. Director of operations James Lanham described the industry challenge as employers wanting experience while students need structured pathways to build it before hiring. The Intuit partnership is positioned as a bridge between academic preparation and workplace execution, potentially improving employability for first-time cybersecurity candidates. For universities, the approach reflects a broader shift toward apprenticeship-like lab models inside degree programs to reduce the “education-to-experience” gap. As AI and automation raise the speed of technical change, such partnerships may become a differentiator for recruiting outcomes and employer alignment, especially in workforce-focused programs where credential value depends on demonstrable proficiency.