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The goal is to help alleviate the estimated 700,000 cybersecurity jobs in the US.
At the White House’s National Cyber Workforce and Education Summit on Tuesday, several companies pledged to do their part to address the shortage of cybersecurity professionals.
The leaders’ goal is to “increase awareness of cybersecurity through greater awareness, education and training,” the White House said in a statement. It is also titled “A Call to Action — To Ensure All Americans Take Advantage of the Digital Domain.”
Among the participating companies, (ISC)² the nonprofit Society of Cyber Security Professionals, (ISC)² has announced a million cybersecurity certified program. The program promises to provide one million people with an entry-level certificate and education program in basic cybersecurity for free.
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Organizations that focus on recruiting and developing cybersecurity professionals — including those with little or no technical experience — will accelerate the training of the next generation of experienced cybersecurity professionals, the association found.
(ISC)² Cybersecurity Certified Employers demonstrate that they have the foundational knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for an entry-level cybersecurity role, the association said.
“We support the goals of the Biden administration, the United States National Cyber Command, and administrations around the world,” Clare Rosso, CEO of (ISC)², said in a statement. “We are proud to announce this initiative along with many others who share a strong commitment to addressing cybersecurity workforce challenges and seek to build the public-private partnerships needed to achieve our goal of over one million cybersecurity certified.”
Program details
(ISC)² Registration opens from September. Eligible individuals will receive a free exam as well as (ISC)² Certified Education in Cyber Security Online Self-Directed Learning Course. The course provides a review of the subject matter published in the Cyber Security Exam Statement that covers the security concepts against which certification candidates will be assessed:
- Safety principles
- Concepts of business continuity, disaster recovery and disaster response
- Concepts of access controls
- Network security
- Security operations
University students, recent graduates, job seekers and other professionals looking to expand their careers and opportunities are encouraged to participate, especially individuals employed or seeking employment in small and medium-sized businesses.
(ISC)² said it will work closely with new and existing partner organizations to reach historically underrepresented populations and encourage greater diversity in the cybersecurity community. The association pledged that half of the expanded commitment — 500,000-course enrollment and testing — would be made at historically black colleges and universities, minority-serving institutions, tribal organizations and women’s organizations in the U.S. and around the world.
After successfully completing the exam, candidates become (ISC)² members to help them throughout their careers.
(ISC)² estimated a global cybersecurity workforce gap of over 2.7 million. While the U.S. cybersecurity workforce consists of more than 1.14 million people, according to the association, the federal government estimates the country has more than 700,000 cybersecurity job openings.
Other companies announce training initiatives
Cisco also announced its commitment to train an additional 200,000 students in the US over the next three years.
The company’s corporate education program, Cisco Networking Academy, is available at 49% of the nation’s community and technical colleges and 48 of the nation’s 107 HBCUs.
“While the cyber workforce shortage is an immediate and long-term threat to our national and economic security, it represents an opportunity to hire a more diverse and inclusive workforce in jobs with high barriers to entry and high earning potential,” said Francine Katsudas, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Policy and Purpose Officer, on a blog announcing Cisco’s commitment. “To address this gap and take advantage of related job opportunities, we must ensure that cybersecurity training and education is available to the broadest segments of society that use information communication technology in our rapidly changing world.”
Fortinet announced that it will offer its information security awareness and training services at no cost to schools across the United States. Expanding the company’s free training offerings is part of Fortinet’s larger commitment to address the skills gap, with a commitment to train one million people in cybersecurity by 2026, the company said.
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