This paper examines the widening cybersecurity skills gap and its implications for organizations, highlighting the inadequacies in current educational and training programs. Through a comprehensive survey of 200 senior executives responsible for cybersecurity strategy, we identify the most valued technical and non-technical skills, the perceived deficiencies in new hires, and the role of practical experience and industry-academia collaboration. Building on existing research, this paper highlights the relative importance of skills, the value of practical experience, and the benefits of industry-academia collaboration. The results reinforce existing literature while offering new perspectives essential for addressing the cybersecurity workforce challenges. We found that organizations that collaborate with educational institutions report higher satisfaction with new hires but also experience significant gaps in practical experience and industry-specific best practice knowledge among new hires. Cluster analysis revealed distinct patterns in organizational priorities, challenges, and characteristics, suggesting that tailored educational approaches may be necessary.