Under the Radar — December 26, 2025

Governance & Compliance: The Foundation Skill That Outlasts Platforms

📋 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Bottom Line Up Front
Top 5 Career Opportunities (Five This Week – One New Addition)
I Automated My Newsletter: Week 2 Results
The Infrastructure That Dropped This Week
Labor Market Reality Check
Foundation Skills Framework: Governance & Compliance
This Week’s Deep Dive: Three-Tier Compliance Path
One to Watch: The 119,632 Agent Developer Jobs
Free Resources
Methodology & Sources

Bottom Line Up Front

We’re adding a fifth position back in the mix this week: AI Agent Developer. But before you jump on the 119,632 job postings, understand what you’re looking at.

This is a transitional opportunity with a 12-24 month window. The job title “AI Agent Developer” may not exist in 2027. Agent Skills is becoming standard—like knowing Excel in 2010 versus Excel in 2025. In 2010, “I can use Excel” was a specialized skill that got you hired. In 2026, it’s becoming standard.

By 2027, “I can build AI agents” will be the same baseline assumption. The workers who survive won’t be the ones who learned Agent Skills. They’ll be the ones who learned what to DO with agents. Which requires foundation skills.

This week we’re covering Foundation Skill #3: Governance & Compliance Frameworks. Regulations outlast technology platforms. HIPAA has existed since 1996. Healthcare AI platforms change every 18 months. Understanding compliance requirements that survive platform changes is what makes you valuable.

The numbers tell two different stories. Official employment data shows job growth. Tech workers experienced 209,838 layoffs in 2025—586 people per day losing jobs to algorithmic replacement. The disconnect isn’t an accident. Companies are hiring people who build the automation while laying off people the automation replaces. Workers using AI are taking jobs from workers who don’t.

This week also marks my second production run with the automated newsletter agent. Last week: 98.6% quality match, 9 hours reduced to 90 minutes. This week we’ll see if that quality holds. That’s the reality of agent automation. Iterative refinement, not instant perfection.

If you’re not learning foundation skills that outlast job titles, you’re building on sand.

Top 5 Career Opportunities

(Five This Week – One “New” Addition)

Why We’re Adding #5 Now

Last week we held #5 vacant. This week we’re adding AI Agent Developer with a critical warning: this is a skill building transitional opportunity, not a career foundation.

The 119,632 jobs are real. The demand is immediate. The pay is competitive. But the job title may not exist in 2027 because Agent Skills is becoming standard like Excel. Use this opportunity to build foundation skills that outlast the title.

#1: Forward Deployed Engineer

Score: 87/100 (+2 from last week)

Why It Strengthened: December 18-22’s infrastructure releases (Agent Skills, BLOOM evaluation framework) actually HELP Forward Deployed Engineers. More companies can build agents with Agent Skills → more need FDEs to make them work in production environments.

As we have discussed at length, push-button agent deployment is here. Someone still has to make those agents work in each customer’s specific environment. Platform tools handle generic cases. FDEs handle complex custom implementations where things don’t work out of the box.

What It Is: Embed with customers on-site (25-50% travel), write production code they depend on, make AI systems work in real environments where documentation doesn’t match reality and edge cases break everything.

The Data:

Growth: 1,165% year-over-year (Jan-Oct 2025 vs 2024)
Salary: $85K-$115K entry, $135K-$200K experienced, $175K-$225K senior/principal
AI Integration: 35% of postings explicitly mention AI Agents, 31% require LLM experience
Hiring: Palantir, OpenAI, Ramp, Deloitte, multiple AI startups

Foundation Skills Required:

Python + API Integration (Tier 2-3: Production systems). Check out our Python Hub. It’s completely free growing resource!
Domain Expertise (Customer’s industry)
Systems Thinking + Troubleshooting (When agents fail in production)
Governance + Compliance (This week’s focus – HIPAA, SOC 2, industry regulations)
Stakeholder Translation (Explaining technical constraints to business leaders)

Entry Requirements: CS degree OR bootcamp + strong portfolio, Python proficiency, customer-facing aptitude, willingness to travel

Silent Firing Risk: LOW – Specialized, client-facing, growing field, travel makes “return to office” tactics ineffective

30-Day Action Plan: theopenrecord.org/resources/30D-forward-deployed-engineer.html

#2: Healthcare Patient Care Coordinator

Score: 80/100 (No change)

What It Is: Navigate the maze of insurance authorizations, coordinate care across providers who don’t talk to each other, explain complex medical information to patients, advocate when systems fail.

AI creates MORE coordination complexity, not less. As hospitals deploy automated scheduling and diagnostic AI, someone still needs to handle the 20% of cases that don’t fit the algorithm. Prior authorization rejections. Insurance denials that require human appeal. Family members who need HIPAA-compliant information. Crisis situations requiring immediate human judgment.

The Data:

Job Postings: 52,000+ nationwide (Indeed, December 2025)
Salary: $45K-$58K entry, $60K-$75K mid-level, $75K-$95K experienced
Growth: 29% projected through 2033 (BLS)
Entry: 70% hiring odds with medical terminology basics and HIPAA understanding

Foundation Skills Required:

Governance + Compliance (HIPAA, insurance regulations – this week’s focus)
Domain Expertise (Healthcare operations, medical terminology)
Stakeholder Translation (Explaining medical information to patients/families)
Systems Thinking (Navigating complex multi-provider coordination)

Protection Factors: Physical presence required, HIPAA compliance limits algorithmic management, trust relationships can’t be automated, crisis response needs human judgment

Silent Firing Risk: MEDIUM – AI productivity metrics pressure, but HIPAA protections and physical presence requirements provide defense

30-Day Action Plan: theopenrecord.org/resources/30D-healthcare-coordinator.html

#3: Synthetic Data Creation

Score: 75/100 (No change)

What It Is: Generate artificial datasets that maintain statistical properties of real data while protecting privacy. Enable AI training without exposing sensitive information. Requires deep understanding of both data science AND privacy regulations.

Privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA) make real data harder to access. Companies need synthetic data that maintains analytical value while eliminating privacy risks. This is highly technical work requiring statistical expertise plus regulatory knowledge—a combination that’s hard to automate.

The Data:

Market: $1.81 billion (2024), growing 31.1% CAGR
Salary: $130K-$200K (highly specialized)
Demand: Gartner projects 60% of AI training data will be synthetic by 2025

Foundation Skills Required:

Python + API Integration (Tier 3: Advanced statistical libraries, data manipulation) Check out our Python Hub. It’s completely free growing resource!
Governance + Compliance (GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA privacy requirements – this week’s focus)
Domain Expertise (Understanding data structures of specific industries)
Systems Thinking (How synthetic data integrates into training pipelines)

Silent Firing Risk: LOW – Too specialized, small teams where losing one person creates obvious gap, growing regulatory demand

Learning Path: Requires strong foundation in data science, statistics, machine learning, plus specialization in privacy-preserving techniques. Typically 2-4 years from data science background.

30-Day Action Plan: theopenrecord.org/resources/resources/30D-synthetic-data-creation.html

#4: Voice AI Implementation Specialist

Score: 68/100 (-2 from last week)

Slight Pressure from Agent Skills: Platform tools are getting better at voice AI implementation. But healthcare-specific deployments still require specialists who understand medical workflows, HIPAA compliance, and legacy system integration that don’t fit generic patterns.

What It Is: Deploy voice AI systems in enterprise environments. Configure natural language processing for domain-specific terminology, integrate with existing phone systems, ensure HIPAA compliance in healthcare contexts, train staff on new voice interfaces.

The Data:

Market: $2.4B (2024) → $47.5B by 2034 (34.8% CAGR)
Salary: $90K-$130K entry/mid-level, $130K-$160K experienced
Demand: 90% of hospitals projected to use AI agents by end of 2025

Foundation Skills Required:

Python + API Integration (Tier 2: API integration, cloud services)
Governance + Compliance (HIPAA for healthcare voice AI – this week’s focus)
Domain Expertise (Healthcare operations, medical terminology, call center workflows)
Systems Thinking (Integration with legacy phone systems)
Stakeholder Translation (Training clinical staff)

Healthcare Focus Still Strong: Medical terminology, HIPAA compliance, patient interaction patterns, EHR integration—all require specialized expertise generic platform tools don’t handle.

Silent Firing Risk: MEDIUM-HIGH – Consultants easier to cut, “project complete” is natural exit point, platform tools reducing complexity. But healthcare specialization provides some protection.

30-Day Action Plan: theopenrecord.org/resources/resources/30D-voice-ai-implementation.html

#5: AI Agent Developer (NEW)

Score: 72/100

⚠️ VOLATILITY WARNING – READ CAREFULLY:

This is a transitional opportunity with a 12-24 month window. The job title “AI Agent Developer” may not exist in 2027. We’re listing it because the 119,632 jobs are real and the opportunity is immediate. But understand what you’re getting into.

Why Agent Skills Will Become Like Excel:

2010: “I can use Excel” = specialized skill, job requirement
2025: “I can use Excel” = baseline assumption, not a differentiator

2025: “I can build AI agents” = specialized skill, 119,632 jobs
2027: “I can build AI agents” = baseline assumption, not a differentiator

The Smart Play: Use AI Agent Developer roles as entry point to learn foundation skills that outlast the title. In 18 months when “I can build agents” is standard, you’ll have skills that transfer to whatever comes next.

What It Is: Design, develop, and deploy autonomous AI systems that can perform tasks, make decisions, and interact with users or other systems. Work with LLMs, build agentic workflows, implement multi-agent systems.

The Data:

Job Postings: 119,632 on Indeed (December 2025)
Salary: $48K-$81K entry, $90K-$160K mid-level, $130K-$225K senior
Entry Speed: 3-6 months if you have Python basics
Hiring: Oracle, Amazon, Google, Sierra, Okta, plus hundreds of startups

Foundation Skills Required – LEARN THESE, NOT JUST AGENT SKILLS:

Python + API Integration (The universal language across all platforms)
Domain Expertise (Healthcare/finance/manufacturing – whatever vertical you work in)
Systems Thinking (Troubleshooting when agents fail in production)
Governance + Compliance (HIPAA, SOC 2, industry regulations – this week’s focus)
Stakeholder Translation (Explaining AI to non-technical decision-makers)

Historical Parallel:

2010-2012: “Mobile App Developer” (iOS/Android) exploded as job title
2013-2015: No-code tools made basic apps easy, market saturated
2016-2018: Job title evolved to “Mobile Solutions Engineer”
Who survived: Developers with foundation skills (programming, UX, systems thinking)
Who struggled: People who only learned “how to make an iPhone app”

If You Take an AI Agent Developer Role:

✅ DO: Learn Python + API integration (applies across all AI platforms)
✅ DO: Gain domain expertise in whatever industry you’re deploying agents
✅ DO: Learn systems thinking for troubleshooting production failures
✅ DO: Learn governance/compliance for the industries you serve
✅ DO: Build stakeholder translation skills

❌ DON’T: Only learn Agent Skills framework and think you have a career
❌ DON’T: Assume “AI Agent Developer” will be your title in 2027
❌ DON’T: Skip foundation skills because the job market is hot right now

Entry Requirements: Vary wildly. Some want CS degrees + 5 years. Others will train you if you demonstrate Python basics and learning ability. Healthcare and finance roles increasingly require domain expertise plus technical skills.

Silent Firing Risk: MEDIUM-HIGH – When platforms commoditize agent building, entry-level roles vanish. Workers with foundation skills transition to new titles. Workers without struggle.

Use this 12-24 month window to build foundation skills that outlast the job title.

Our existing AI Agent Builder 30 day plan will get you the foundation you need for this.

I Automated My Newsletter: Week 2 Results

Last week I ran my newsletter automation agent for the first time in production. This week is the second run. Here’s what happened.

Week 1 Results (Dec 19 newsletter):

Agent produced draft Thursday evening
Quality match: 98.6%
Time: 9 hours → 90 minutes including development work (7.5 hours saved)
Error caught manually: Agent cited 2024 employment data when I needed 2025 figures. The source it found was dated 2024, so it used what it found. Human judgment caught it.
Published successfully Friday 8am

Week 2 Process (Dec 26 newsletter – this one):

Running the agent again today (Thursday 12/25). Same process as last week:

Gathered intelligence all week (employment data, infrastructure releases, job postings)
Compiled intelligence brief with sources and analysis
Triggered agent skill Thursday afternoon
Agent generates draft following established standards (tone, structure, citations, Bottom Line Up Front format)
Quality check Thursday evening + Friday morning
Publish Friday 8am

What I’m Watching For:

Does quality hold at 98.6% or degrade?
Does the agent repeat the same type of error (date validation)?
What new issues emerge that weren’t present last week?
Time investment still around 90 minutes or creeping back up?

The Honest Reality:

This isn’t “set it and forget it.” It’s iterative refinement. Week 1 taught me the agent needs explicit date validation instructions. Week 2 will reveal what else needs refinement. But even with ongoing adjustments, 7.5 hours saved per week is real.

This is why workers need foundation skills: You have to troubleshoot when agents don’t work as expected. You have to refine instructions when quality slips. You have to validate outputs against your standards. The agent handles the mechanical work. Human judgment handles quality control.

Next week: I’ll report Week 2’s actual results and compare to Week 1. Are quality issues consistent? Random? Getting better or worse? That’s the data that matters.

The Infrastructure That Dropped This Week

Three releases in five days changed the agent deployment landscape:

December 18: Agent Skills Standard (Anthropic)

Open framework for building AI agents adopted by Claude, OpenAI, VS Code, Cursor. It’s essentially a detailed runbook you create that tells AI how to execute tasks. You document your process clearly, the agent follows instructions, you iterate when quality doesn’t match.

Think of it like training an intern who never forgets instructions and works 24/7. The better you document your process, the better the agent performs. But you still need to know what “good” looks like. Which requires domain expertise, systems thinking, and quality standards.

December 21: BLOOM Evaluation Framework (Anthropic)

Open-source framework for automated behavioral evaluation of AI agents. This is what was missing. Companies couldn’t deploy agents confidently because they had no systematic way to verify behavior under edge cases and unexpected scenarios.

BLOOM uses AI to test AI, running thousands of scenarios to verify agents handle complex situations properly. Now companies can deploy with confidence. That means faster adoption, which means the timeline for mass deployment just accelerated.

December 22: Datavault AI Patents

Two US patents on blockchain-driven content licensing and tokenized monetization. Infrastructure for the AI training data economy. When AI trains on your content, this provides a technical framework for tracking and compensation.

Will it work? Will anyone adopt it? Does it help creators or extract from them? Those are open questions. But the infrastructure exists. Someone filed patents on how to solve this problem. That creates governance and compliance requirements for companies using AI training data.

What This Means Together:

Companies can now build agents (Agent Skills), evaluate them confidently (BLOOM), and license training data (Datavault). Complete deployment pipeline exists. Implementation barrier: collapsed.

This is why AI Agent Developer jobs spiked to 119,632. And why that number will shrink once Agent Skills becomes standard. And why foundation skills—including governance and compliance—are what actually matter long-term.

Labor Market Reality Check

The disconnect between official numbers and worker reality continues to widen.

Official Numbers (ADP December 2025):

Private sector added 122,000 jobs
Annual pay up 4.6% year-over-year
Pay growth for job-stayers slowed to 4.6%, slowest pace since July 2021
Four-week average: 11,500 jobs per week

Worker Reality (2025 Year-End):

209,838 tech workers laid off across 716 companies
586 people per day losing jobs on average
55,000+ AI-related layoffs specifically
December alone: 300+ layoffs this week

Recent Examples:

Amazon: 84 jobs (Seattle/Bellevue engineering, recruiting, product teams)
McKinsey: 10% of non-client-facing roles over 18-24 months
TCS India: 12,000 employees (2% of workforce)
Synopsys: 2,000 employees (10% of workforce)

Historical Context – The Trend Reversed:

2024 looked like recovery. It wasn’t. It was the pause before AI automation deployments began replacing workers at scale.

2023: 264,000 tech workers laid off (peak year)
2024: 152,000 tech workers laid off (42% decline – looked like recovery)
2025: 210,000 tech workers laid off (38% increase from 2024)

What Changed: The reason for layoffs shifted fundamentally.

2022-2023 Layoffs: Macroeconomic forces

Over-hiring during COVID boom
Interest rate increases
Recession fears
Companies correcting for excessive pandemic growth

2025 Layoffs: Strategic technological shift

AI automation replacing workers
Algorithmic decision-making eliminating roles
Platform deployment replacing human tasks
Companies restructuring around AI capabilities

The Pattern – From CTech Israel Analysis:

“These layoffs were not triggered by an economic downturn or collapsing demand, but by a strategic technological shift. Workers were once laid off because of macroeconomic forces, today they are being laid off because of algorithms.”

The 2024 slowdown wasn’t recovery. It was companies pausing mass layoffs while they built the AI systems to replace workers. Now those systems are deployed, and 2025’s numbers reflect the acceleration.

What’s Being Created vs. Eliminated:

Created: 119,632 AI agent developer/engineer positions. Building the automation.

Eliminated: Administrative support, professional services, information workers, manufacturing support. Being replaced by the automation.

The Math Is Simple:

One AI agent developer can build systems that replace 50-100 workers doing routine tasks. Companies are hiring the 1 while laying off the 100. The official numbers show net job creation. The worker reality shows massive displacement masked by automation efficiency gains.

What Protects You:

Foundation skills that let you use AI rather than being replaced by it. Being the person who builds agents, not the person whose job the agent takes. Understanding governance and compliance frameworks that outlast the platforms. Having domain expertise that makes you valuable when generic skills get commoditized.

Foundation Skills Framework

This is Week 3 of our five-week foundation skills series:

Week 1 (Dec 12): Python + API Integration
Week 2 (Dec 19): Domain Expertise
Week 3 (Dec 26 – This Week): Governance + Compliance Frameworks
Week 4 (Jan 2): Systems Thinking + Troubleshooting
Week 5 (Jan 9): Stakeholder Translation

These skills appear across all five Top positions. Job titles change every 6-18 months. Foundation skills may remain valuable for decades.

This Week’s Deep Dive: Governance + Compliance Frameworks

Why Governance & Compliance Matters MORE in AI Era

Counterintuitive but true: As AI tools get better at technical tasks, specialists who understand regulatory requirements become MORE valuable.

The Regulatory Paradox:

AI platforms change every 6-18 months:

ChatGPT → GPT-4 → GPT-5 → Claude → Gemini → whatever’s next
Voice AI platforms evolve constantly
Agent frameworks updated continuously

Regulations last decades:

HIPAA: Since 1996 (29 years)
GDPR: Since 2018 (7 years, still evolving)
SOC 2: Framework stable since early 2000s
Industry regulations (FDA, financial services, legal) move on decade timelines

The Math: Learn compliance frameworks once → Apply across every AI platform that comes next.

Example – Healthcare:

A Forward Deployed Engineer deploying AI in hospitals needs HIPAA compliance knowledge. The AI platform they’re deploying will change three times in five years (ChatGPT → Claude → Gemini → ???). HIPAA requirements won’t change.

Learning HIPAA = 6-12 months, applies for entire career.
Learning specific AI platform = 3 months, obsolete in 18 months.

Which skill is more valuable long-term?

Where Governance & Compliance Appears in Top 5

#1: Forward Deployed Engineer

Required for healthcare, finance, government deployments
HIPAA, SOC 2, FedRAMP, industry-specific regulations
Customer asks: “How do we deploy this while staying compliant?”
FDE who understands both AI AND compliance = extremely valuable

#2: Healthcare Patient Care Coordinator

HIPAA is core job requirement
Insurance regulations, billing compliance
Patient privacy, medical records access
Coordination across providers requires understanding what’s legally permissible

#3: Synthetic Data Creation

GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA compliance drives demand
Must understand what privacy regulations require
Creating synthetic data that satisfies regulators while maintaining utility
Compliance knowledge is WHY synthetic data exists

#4: Voice AI Implementation Specialist

Healthcare voice AI requires HIPAA compliance
Call recording regulations vary by state
Data retention requirements
Consent and notification requirements for automated systems

#5: AI Agent Developer

Growing requirement across all industries
Healthcare agents need HIPAA, financial agents need SEC/FINRA compliance
Government agents need FedRAMP, international deployments need GDPR
Generic “I can build agents” won’t cut it—you need industry compliance knowledge

Three-Tier Governance & Compliance Learning Path

TIER 1: ENTRY (0-6 months)

“I understand one compliance framework and can implement basic requirements”

Objective: Master ONE framework deeply enough to implement basic compliance requirements, document compliance measures, and communicate requirements to non-compliance teams.

Time Investment: 10-15 hours/week for 3-6 months

Total Cost: $200-$600

Which Framework to Start With?

Healthcare → HIPAA
Tech/SaaS → SOC 2
Europe/International → GDPR
Government → FedRAMP basics
Finance → SEC/FINRA basics

We’ll use HIPAA as primary example (most accessible, highest job demand), but structure applies to any framework.

HIPAA Entry Path (Healthcare Compliance)

Learning Resources:

Free Path ($0-$200):

HHS.gov HIPAA Training (Free) – Official government training, comprehensive
HIPAA Journal (Free) – News, analysis, practical guidance
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (Free) – Patient perspective, real-world cases
YouTube: HIPAA Training Channels (Free) – Visual learning, scenario-based

Certification Path ($200-$400):

AAPC HIPAA Certification ($200 exam) – Entry-level, widely recognized
AHIMA HIPAA Training ($150-$300) – Health information management focus

Key Concepts to Master:

Privacy Rule Fundamentals:

What is Protected Health Information (PHI)?
18 patient identifiers that make data PHI
Permitted uses and disclosures without authorization
Patient rights (access, amendment, accounting of disclosures)
Minimum necessary standard
Business Associate Agreements (BAAs)

Security Rule Basics:

Administrative safeguards (policies, training, access control)
Physical safeguards (facility access, device security)
Technical safeguards (access controls, encryption, audit controls)
Risk assessment requirements
Incident response procedures

Breach Notification:

What constitutes a breach
Risk assessment for potential breaches
Notification requirements (patients, HHS, media)
Timeline requirements (60 days)
Documentation requirements

Real-World Application:

When can you share patient information with family members?
How do you handle patient requests for medical records?
What needs to be encrypted vs. what doesn’t?
When do you need a Business Associate Agreement?
How do you handle a potential breach discovery?

Validation Projects:

Project 1: HIPAA Compliance Checklist

Research HIPAA requirements for a fictional healthcare practice
Create implementation checklist (policies, training, technical controls)
Document: Required vs. addressable specifications, implementation timeline, cost estimates
Skills demonstrated: Requirement analysis, practical implementation planning

Project 2: Breach Response Plan

Design breach response procedure for fictional organization
Include: Discovery, assessment, containment, notification, documentation
Create decision tree: breach vs. non-breach determination
Skills demonstrated: Risk assessment, incident response, regulatory knowledge

Project 3: Voice AI HIPAA Analysis

Research one voice AI platform (e.g., healthcare call center AI)
Document HIPAA compliance requirements
Identify: PHI exposure risks, required safeguards, BAA needs
Skills demonstrated: Applying HIPAA to AI systems, risk identification

Project 4: Patient Rights Implementation

Design process for handling patient access requests
Include: Request verification, timeline compliance, fee structure, denial procedures
Skills demonstrated: Patient rights, procedural design

Career Access at Entry Tier:

HIPAA Compliance Coordinator ($45K-$60K)
Healthcare Privacy Analyst ($48K-$65K)
Medical Records Compliance Specialist ($42K-$58K)
Patient Care Coordinator with HIPAA focus ($50K-$68K)

Job Posting Example: “HIPAA Compliance Coordinator – Ensure compliance with HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. Conduct risk assessments, manage incident response, train staff. HIPAA certification preferred. Healthcare experience a plus. $52K-$62K.”

Timeline Summary:

Months 1-2: Privacy Rule fundamentals, PHI identification
Months 3-4: Security Rule basics, technical safeguards
Months 5-6: Breach notification, validation projects, job applications

SOC 2 Entry Path (Tech/SaaS Compliance)

Learning Resources:

Free Path ($0-$200):

AICPA Resources (Free) – Official SOC 2 framework documentation
Vanta Security Resources (Free) – SOC 2 implementation guides
Secureframe Blog (Free) – Practical SOC 2 guidance
Laika Compliance Guides (Free) – SOC 2 explainers

Key Concepts:

Trust Services Criteria:

Security (required for all SOC 2 audits)
Availability (system uptime and performance)
Processing Integrity (complete, valid, accurate, timely)
Confidentiality (protection of confidential information)
Privacy (GDPR-aligned personal information protection)

Control Categories:

Control environment (security policies, organizational structure)
Risk assessment (identifying and mitigating risks)
Monitoring (logging, alerting, reviewing)
Logical access controls (authentication, authorization)
System operations (backup, disaster recovery, change management)

Audit Process:

Type 1 vs Type 2 reports (point in time vs. period of time)
Control design vs. operating effectiveness
Evidence collection and documentation
Audit timelines and costs

Validation Projects:

Project 1: SOC 2 Readiness Assessment

Assess fictional SaaS company against SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria
Identify gaps, prioritize remediation, estimate implementation timeline
Skills demonstrated: Framework application, gap analysis

Project 2: Access Control Implementation

Design access control system meeting SOC 2 requirements
Include: Authentication, authorization, logging, review procedures
Skills demonstrated: Security controls, technical implementation

Career Access: SOC 2 Analyst ($55K-$75K), Security Compliance Specialist ($60K-$80K)

GDPR Entry Path (Privacy/International)

Learning Resources:

Free Path ($0-$200):

GDPR.eu Resources (Free) – Official GDPR documentation
ICO Guidance (Free) – UK regulator guidance
IAPP Free Resources (Free) – Privacy professional organization

Certification Path ($300-$600):

IAPP CIPP/E (Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe) – $550 exam – Industry standard

Key Concepts:

Lawful basis for processing (consent, legitimate interest, etc.)
Data subject rights (access, erasure, portability, etc.)
Data protection by design and default
International data transfers (adequacy decisions, SCCs)
Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs)
Accountability and documentation requirements

Career Access: Privacy Analyst ($55K-$75K), GDPR Compliance Specialist ($60K-$85K)

TIER 2: INTERMEDIATE (6-12 months total)

“I can implement compliance across multiple frameworks and conduct audits”

Builds on: Entry tier single-framework expertise

Objective: Implement compliance across multiple frameworks, conduct internal audits, prepare for external audits, serve as compliance liaison between technical and business teams.

Time Investment: Additional 10-15 hours/week for 6 months

Total Cost: Additional $1,000-$2,500 ($1,200-$3,100 total)

Multi-Framework Strategy:

Most organizations operate under multiple compliance requirements simultaneously. A healthcare SaaS company needs HIPAA + SOC 2 + potentially GDPR. Understanding how frameworks overlap and where they conflict is valuable.

Certifications Worth Pursuing:

HIPAA Path:

Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) – $385 exam – Advanced healthcare compliance
AHIMA RHIA or RHIT – $399 exam – Health information management

SOC 2 Path:

CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) – $749 exam – Industry gold standard
CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) – $575 exam – Audit focus

Privacy Path:

CIPM (Certified Information Privacy Manager) – $550 exam – Privacy program management
CIPP/US (US Privacy) – $550 exam – Complements CIPP/E for multi-jurisdiction

Cross-Framework Path:

ISO 27001 Lead Auditor – $1,500-$2,000 – International information security standard
CRISC (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control) – $575 exam – Risk management

Key Concepts to Master:

Compliance Program Development:

Risk assessment methodologies
Control mapping across frameworks (HIPAA Security Rule → SOC 2 Security → ISO 27001)
Policy and procedure development
Training program design and delivery
Metrics and KPIs for compliance effectiveness

Audit Management:

Preparing for external audits
Evidence collection and documentation
Working with auditors (internal and external)
Remediation planning for audit findings
Continuous monitoring and improvement

Vendor Management:

Third-party risk assessment
Business Associate Agreements (HIPAA)
Vendor security questionnaires
Right to audit clauses
Ongoing vendor monitoring

Incident Response:

Incident response planning and testing
Breach vs. security incident determination
Investigation procedures
Notification requirements across frameworks
Post-incident analysis and improvement

Validation Projects:

Project 1: Multi-Framework Compliance Matrix

Map controls across HIPAA, SOC 2, and ISO 27001
Identify overlaps and unique requirements
Design integrated compliance program meeting all three
Skills demonstrated: Cross-framework thinking, integration planning

Project 2: Internal Audit Program

Design internal audit program for fictional healthcare tech company
Include: Audit schedule, evidence collection, reporting, remediation tracking
Conduct mock audit and document findings
Skills demonstrated: Audit methodology, program management

Project 3: Third-Party Risk Assessment

Develop vendor risk assessment process
Include: Security questionnaire, on-site assessment criteria, continuous monitoring
Assess three fictional vendors
Skills demonstrated: Vendor management, risk evaluation

Project 4: AI System Compliance Review

Review AI agent or voice AI system for compliance with HIPAA and SOC 2
Document: Data flows, PHI exposure, security controls, gaps, remediation plan
Skills demonstrated: Applying compliance to AI systems, technical + regulatory knowledge

Career Access at Intermediate Tier:

Compliance Manager ($80K-$110K)
Privacy Engineer ($95K-$125K)
Information Security Analyst ($75K-$105K)
Healthcare Compliance Consultant ($85K-$120K)
SOC 2 Program Manager ($90K-$130K)

Job Posting Example: “Healthcare Compliance Manager – Lead HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance programs for health tech SaaS. Manage audits, conduct training, implement controls. HIPAA + SOC 2 experience required. CISSP or CISA preferred. $95K-$115K.”

Timeline Summary:

Months 7-8: Second framework mastery, cross-framework mapping
Months 9-10: Audit management, advanced certifications
Months 11-12: Integration projects, job search

TIER 3: ADVANCED (12-24 months total)

“I design compliance programs and serve as strategic advisor on regulatory risk”

Builds on: Intermediate multi-framework expertise

Objective: Design enterprise compliance programs, advise C-suite on regulatory strategy, lead complex audits, serve as expert witness or consultant, establish yourself as compliance authority.

Time Investment: Additional 10-15 hours/week for 12 months

Total Cost: Additional $3,000-$8,000 ($4,200-$11,100 total)

Advanced Certifications:

Top-Tier Technical:

CISSP (if not already obtained) – $749
CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) – $575 – Management focus
CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional) – $599 – Cloud compliance

Privacy Leadership:

CIPT (Certified Information Privacy Technologist) – $550 – Privacy engineering
FIP (Fellow of Information Privacy) – Multi-year achievement – Highest IAPP credential

Healthcare Leadership:

CHPC (Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Compliance) – $595 – Advanced healthcare
CPMSM (Certified Provider Credentialing Specialist) – If medical staff focus

International/Specialized:

GDPR Practitioner Certificate – EU-specific advanced training
FedRAMP training and certification – If government sector focus
PCI-DSS certification – If payment processing focus

Executive Education ($2,000-$5,000):

Healthcare compliance executive programs (Harvard, Wharton)
Privacy law programs (Berkeley, Georgetown)
Cybersecurity leadership programs

Key Concepts to Master:

Strategic Regulatory Risk:

Anticipating regulatory changes before they arrive
Advising business strategy based on compliance landscape
Risk vs. reward trade-offs (what’s worth the compliance cost?)
Regulatory advocacy and shaping policy

Complex Compliance Programs:

Multi-jurisdiction compliance (US + EU + APAC)
Mergers and acquisitions compliance due diligence
Global data governance frameworks
Compliance as competitive advantage

AI-Specific Governance:

EU AI Act compliance framework
Algorithmic transparency requirements
Bias and fairness in AI systems
Explainability requirements for regulated industries
AI model governance and version control

Crisis Management:

Major breach response at enterprise scale
Regulatory investigation management
Class action litigation support
Reputation management during compliance failures

Thought Leadership:

Publishing on compliance topics
Speaking at industry conferences
Serving on standards committees
Consulting and expert witness work

Validation Projects:

Project 1: Enterprise Compliance Framework

Design comprehensive compliance program for fictional Fortune 500 healthcare company
Include: Multi-framework integration, global operations, M&A readiness, board reporting
Present to mock board of directors
Skills demonstrated: Strategic thinking, executive communication, program design

Project 2: AI Governance Framework

Develop AI governance framework for healthcare or financial services
Include: Model development lifecycle, validation requirements, bias testing, explainability
Address: HIPAA, SOC 2, EU AI Act, industry-specific regulations
Skills demonstrated: Cutting-edge compliance, AI-specific governance

Project 3: Regulatory Change Impact Analysis

Analyze proposed regulation (e.g., state AI law, federal privacy bill)
Assess impact on fictional enterprise, recommend strategic response
Include: Cost-benefit analysis, implementation timeline, competitive implications
Skills demonstrated: Policy analysis, strategic advisory

Project 4: Breach Crisis Simulation

Design and conduct tabletop exercise for major data breach
Include: Technical response, legal notifications, PR strategy, regulatory liaison
Document lessons learned and program improvements
Skills demonstrated: Crisis management, cross-functional leadership

Public Presence at Advanced Tier:

Industry Publications: Regular contributor to Healthcare IT News, Dark Reading, Privacy Advisor
Speaking: Conferences like HIMSS, RSA, IAPP Global Privacy Summit
Advisory Roles: Serve on compliance committees, standards bodies
Expert Witness: Available for litigation support
Consulting: Independent consulting or advisory board positions

Career Access at Advanced Tier:

Chief Privacy Officer ($140K-$220K+)
VP of Compliance ($150K-$200K)
Director of Information Security ($130K-$180K)
Healthcare Compliance Consultant (Principal) ($140K-$220K+)
Regulatory Strategy Advisor ($150K-$230K+)

Job Posting Example: “Chief Privacy Officer – Lead privacy and compliance strategy for national healthcare system. Oversee HIPAA, state privacy laws, vendor management. Advise C-suite on regulatory risk. 10+ years healthcare compliance required. CISSP + CIPP/US preferred. $175K-$210K + bonus.”

Timeline Summary:

Months 13-18: Advanced certifications, AI governance expertise
Months 19-24: Thought leadership, strategic advisory positioning, executive roles

Summary Table: Governance & Compliance Path

Tier	Timeline	Cost	Key Skill	Validation	Salary Range
Entry	0-6 months	$200-$600	Master one framework (HIPAA, SOC 2, GDPR)	Compliance checklists, gap analyses	$45K-$68K
Intermediate	6-12 months	+$1,000-$2,500	Multi-framework implementation, audit management	Internal audits, vendor assessments	$75K-$130K
Advanced	12-24 months	+$3,000-$8,000	Strategic compliance programs, AI governance	Enterprise frameworks, thought leadership	$130K-$230K+

One to Watch: The 119,632 Agent Developer Jobs

We moved this from “One to Watch” to #5 in Top 5 this week. But the volatility warning stands.

What’s Actually Happening:

Companies are rushing to deploy AI agents following December’s infrastructure releases (Agent Skills + BLOOM). They need people who can build agents. Entry-level positions, mid-level specialists, senior architects—all hiring right now.

The Reality Check:

In 2010, “I can use Excel” was a job requirement. In 2025, it’s a baseline assumption. By 2027, “I can build AI agents” will be the same baseline. Agent Skills is becoming standard like Excel became standard.

The Workers Who Will Survive:

Not the ones who learned Agent Skills. The ones who learned what to DO with agents—which requires foundation skills:

Python + API Integration: The universal language
Domain Expertise: Healthcare/finance/manufacturing knowledge
Systems Thinking: Troubleshooting production failures
Governance + Compliance: This week’s focus
Stakeholder Translation: Explaining AI to business leaders

Use the 119,632 jobs as an entry point. Build foundation skills that outlast the title.

Free Resources

Access our complete library:

🔗 PivotIntel Resources Hub: theopenrecord.org/resources/

Featured Action Plans:

Forward Deployed Engineer 30-Day Plan – Technical + customer-facing path
Healthcare Patient Care Coordinator – Entry-level, fastest to employment
Agent Skills Hub – Interactive quiz, complete guide, ranking matrix

Foundation Skills Resources:

Python Learning Hub – All resources linked (Week 1)
Domain Expertise Toolkit – Healthcare, infrastructure, compliance paths (Week 2)
Governance & Compliance Guide – Three-tier path with certifications (NEW – Week 3)

This Week’s Tools:

Task Ranking Matrix – Identify which task to automate first: theopenrecord.org/resources/agent/ranking-matrix.html
“Build an AI Agent. I Did.” Article – Real implementation story: theopenrecord.org/2025/12/21/build-an-ai-agent-i-did-no-coding-required/

Weekly Newsletter: Get Under the Radar delivered every Friday at 8am. Free subscription at theopenrecord.org

Methodology & Sources

Ranking Methodology

Our Top 5 rankings use weighted criteria:

1. Market Demand (30%) – Current job postings, growth trajectory, industry investment
2. Entry Speed (25%) – Time to first income, barriers to entry, learning resources
3. Income Potential (25%) – Entry to experienced salary range, geographic variation
4. Future Viability (15%) – Automation resistance, skill transferability, regulatory protection
5. Scam/Risk Factor (5%) – Predatory offers, volatility, silent firing vulnerability

Position must score 70+ to make Top 5.

Data Sources This Week

Employment Data:

ADP National Employment Report (December 2025, released Dec 23)
Layoffs.fyi (209,838 workers, 716 companies in 2025)
TrueUp.io (comprehensive tracker)
Crunchbase News (126,352 US tech workers as of Dec 17)
TechCrunch (verified company announcements)

Infrastructure Releases:

Anthropic announcements (Agent Skills Dec 18, BLOOM Dec 21)
MarketTechPost (Datavault AI patents Dec 22)
Company documentation and press releases

Job Market:

Indeed (AI Agent Developer: 119,632 jobs; AI Agent Engineer: 6,253 jobs)
ZipRecruiter (salary ranges by tier)
Glassdoor (company-specific verification)

Compliance Resources:

HHS.gov (HIPAA official guidance)
AICPA (SOC 2 framework)
IAPP (privacy certifications and standards)
ICO (GDPR guidance)

Top 5 Positions:

Forward Deployed Engineer: LinkedIn Talent Insights (1,165% YoY growth)
Healthcare Coordinator: Indeed (52,000+ postings), BLS (29% growth projection)
Synthetic Data: Gartner projections, market reports
Voice AI: Market.us ($2.4B → $47.5B CAGR 34.8%)
AI Agent Developer: Indeed, multiple job board aggregations

All employment figures, infrastructure releases, and compliance frameworks verified across multiple authoritative sources.

Under the Radar is published by The Open Record L3C.

Publisher: Angela Fisher | angela@theopenrecord.org
Next Edition: January 3, 2026

Foundation skills outlast job titles. Learn them. Use them. Don’t wait.