Cyber Nations, a global program focused on cybersecurity education and training, has announced that over 100 graduates have successfully completed the Cyber Nations training program which was designed by Protexxa in partnership with George Brown College, leaders at CILAR, and Plum.
Together, these Canadian organizations are tackling one of the top ten global risks identified by the World Economic Forum, cybercrime/cyber insecurity.The program aims to address the cybersecurity talent shortage of 3.5 million unfilled jobs in the information security industry.
Stacia Sherman Garr, co-founder and principal analyst of RedThread Research, a firm specializing in evaluating modern workforce practices, observed, “Employers need skilled talent to meet increasing market demands and drive growth strategies. Upskilling programs such as Cyber Nations support new career opportunities that benefit the success of both the employee and the organization.”
The initiative looks to train 100,000 African, Caribbean, and Canadian learners with hands-on skills for entry-level cybersecurity roles. The first cohort of 100+ students graduated on May 27th, 2023 in Barbados and will start their new jobs over the next 90 days.
With cybercrime quadrupling since the Covid-19 pandemic, companies need skilled talent to fulfill critical roles including Cybersecurity Analysts, Vulnerability Specialists, Incident Responders, and Cyber Literacy Coordinators.
Stacia Sherman Garr, co-founder and principal analyst of RedThread Research, a firm specializing in evaluating modern workforce practices, observed, “Employers need skilled talent to meet increasing market demands and drive growth strategies. Upskilling programs such as Cyber Nations support new career opportunities that benefit the success of both the employee and the organization.”
Protexxa co-developed the comprehensive security program that also incorporates CompTIA Security+ curriculum and the award-winning Plum talent assessment platform. The program is four-months in duration and balances synchronous/asynchronous learning, culminating with successful students achieving a Cybersecurity Analyst certificate from George Brown College. Graduates are properly prepared to add tangible value to organizations with practical and actionable skills across critical cybersecurity roles.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the graduation of our outstanding cybersecurity students. These graduates demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and passion required to make a significant impact in today’s digital landscape,” says Dr. Rick Huijbregts, Program Director, Cyber Nations.
The second Cyber Nations cohort of 350 students begins in August 2023. Work is underway to expand the program in Kenya, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago.
Students or companies seeking more information are encouraged to visit cyber-nations.com. One of the benefits of the Cyber Nations program is that graduates can work remotely from their countries and support businesses worldwide