As digital transformation accelerates, cyber resilience has become a strategic priority for nations, organizations, and societies.
Many national cybersecurity strategies today highlight the importance of an embedded cybersecurity culture. This is implemented across society by involving governments, the private sector, academia, and individuals. Training programs, professional certifications, and awareness campaigns are no longer optional; they are foundational.
This focus on structured capacity development raises a critical question: How can we achieve true cyber resilience, and what role does continuous learning play in building that strong workforce?
Maha Tazi, our guest today, is a senior cybersecurity consultant at Deloitte with expertise in Governance, Risk & Compliance, Data Protection and Privacy, and Building Cyber Resilience. She shared her insights with us on how learning ecosystems support long-term resilience.
Morocco’s National Cybersecurity Strategy 2030 aims to upgrade national resilience through governance, protection of critical systems, and capacity building. The third pillar, for instance, focuses on developing a cybersecurity culture across society by involving different sectors. It emphasizes the role of training programs, certifications, and awareness campaigns in developing the national ecosystem.
With the ongoing digital transformation, Morocco has elevated cybersecurity to a national priority to safeguard its infrastructure and digital services. The government has taken decisive action, establishing governance bodies like maCERT, the national cyber incident response center, and implementing comprehensive security measures across ministries.
Noteworthy, the increasing tie between cybersecurity and economic growth. Morocco’s cybersecurity market has expanded to $1.2 billion, driven by high exposure to cyber risks targeting government, financial, and critical sectors. This expansion reflects the rising threat landscape and the growing demand for security expertise.
The solution lies in bridging technologies and human capacities simultaneously. Morocco is an example of a country acknowledging the need for a strong cybersecurity workforce and embedding the right training in society segments.
Today, cybersecurity training is a necessity for both the public and private sectors. Organizations are encouraged to invest in programs that leverage their executive education, starting from awareness in the office, towards global resilience.
Certifications have real value when they enable professionals to effectively translate legal and regulatory requirements, such as Law 05-20, DNSSI directives, regulated cloud usage frameworks, and the national cybersecurity strategy, into practical controls. This includes concrete measures in governance, risk management, incident response preparedness, cloud security, protection of sensitive data, and the continuity of critical services.
While training and certifications are crucial, they must be contextualized, align with the national situation, and comply with regulations. Professionals may be certified, yet disconnected from our reality. Therefore, unable to use that knowledge to address the security gaps.
“Aligning our certifications with the national regulations creates a common language across the ecosystem, including regulators, auditors, critical operators, and service providers,” Maha explains.
That comes back to saying that the best certification in the world isn’t the most popular, but the one that directly supports the context. Trainees should be able to apply their knowledge in the market and effectively bridge training and operations.
For those entering the field, Maha offers a mindset that treats cybersecurity as a mission, not a simple career.
Certifications offer credibility, confidence, and proof of assessment for the learner. That said, the learner must prioritize effectiveness and engage with cybersecurity as a life mission.
“You are becoming a guardian of a nation’s digital sovereignty, protecting critical data, and helping build the national digital trust.”
Organizations need real certified experts who are ready to move faster than attacks and incidents. Through Maha’s experience, she believes that the field rewards those who invest in continuous learning, discipline, and excellence. Those who take it as a motive and bravely face its difficulties.
The shift of mindset for organizations is to consider cybersecurity training as an investment, not a cost. For companies, cybersecurity training cannot be a box to check, but a continuous, ongoing system that grows with the infrastructure.
In her daily job, Maha encounters various CEOs who still view training as a cost, instead of an investment. They allocate big budgets to tools and strategies, and neglect the basics of a cybersecurity culture. The latter requires teaching humans how to use those tools for effective reaction and highlighting their skills for future, continuous protection.
“When most people look at a cybersecurity training budget, they see a cost center. I see a strategic engine. The reality of our landscape is that we can spend millions on the most advanced tech stack in the world, but if our people aren't empowered, we’ve built a fortress with an unlocked front door,” she states
The numbers speak louder: 70% of cyber incidents stem from a human cause, regardless of how sophisticated the security plan in place is. It’s risky to rely on technologies without strong investment in people, and without understanding the precious token that moves global security, humans.
Companies should move from a culture of compliance to real stewardship, where every segment believes in its role and takes responsibility for what it’s trusted with.
Cybersecurity operates as a triad: technology, people, and processes. Your employees represent your first line of defense, a human firewall. Investing in their continuous development delivers measurable returns through better decision-making, reduced incidents, and a stronger overall security posture.
Only when organizations start taking that pattern will they see fewer breaches, faster incident detection and response, and stronger security awareness.
The efforts made to upgrade cybersecurity are to be celebrated. But real resilience depends on how we train and empower our people.
“We don't train our people because we are afraid of what hackers might do. We train them because we are confident in what a secure, empowered workforce can achieve.”
Make sure to check her video about the matter and stay close for more related articles!
