Standard Chartered in collaboration with @iLabAfrica-Strathmore University has graduated 100 women who participated in the first East Africa Women in Cyber Mentorship Program which follows a 9 month mentorship training program for women participants residing in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania administered virtually.
The program, which had a self-paced learning model with mentorship circles and fireside chats, included emerging and current areas in cybersecurity as well as soft skills training in areas such as personal branding and career growth.
Speaking during the graduation, Kariuki Ngari, Standard Chartered Bank CEO (Kenya and East Africa Cluster) said, “ Africa has been highlighted as a region that is highly vulnerable to cyber risk. With cyber criminals increasingly becoming more advanced, we are seeing many organizations, including financial institutions, Government entities and retail players seeking for advanced and intelligent cybersecurity solutions, driven by well versed cybersecurity experts.
This program, which focuses on cybersecurity training and capacity building is helping to meet this gap with a focus on women who comprise only 24 percent of the overall workforce in cybersecurity. We believe that this program, run in partnership with Strathmore , is one of the ways that we can better equip the East African region to counter and prevent cyberattacks which are often costly, all while equipping and encouraging women to join the cybersecurity space. ‘’
Adding to this, Dr Joseph Sevilla, Director @iLabAfrica- Strathmore University, said, ‘’ Sophisticated ransomware and attacks can quickly disrupt businesses and stifle growth. As the region undergoes digital transformation, exposure to cyber risk increases. To ensure that organizations are able to protect themselves from these threats, advanced training and access to cybersecurity experts is critical. To this end, programs such as the East Africa Women in Cyber Program are necessary, not only to bridge the cybersecurity skills gap, but to also build adequate capacity to counter attacks.‘’
The program had 100 participants who went through the following modules in cybersecurity:Information Security,Cyber Security Capacity Challenges and Measures,Approaches to Managing Cyber Security risks – A NIST deep dive,Innovation & Cybersecurity in East Africa and Cyber Resilience & Testing.
The Cyber Mentorship Program is run by Standard Chartered in collaboration with Strathmore University’s (@iLabAfrica Research and Innovation Centre and was open to women applicants from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. To be considered for the program, participants need to meet the following requirements:Have a working knowledge of English,have a minimum of 2-3 years’ junior level working experience,be keen in pursuing a career in cybersecurity and have a computer and stable internet connection.