Exclusive Networks has announced it has joined a group of security leaders to take global action to address the cybersecurity hiring crisis.
Led by NightDragon and the non-profit NextGen Cyber Talent, the campaign aims to raise $1m to fund cybersecurity courses for students in the US from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds.
“This initiative is a template for action and we’re delighted to be a part of it,” said Jesper Trolle (pictured left), CEO of Exclusive Networks. “It aligns strongly with our efforts to develop the cyber defenders of tomorrow, equipped with the specialist skills, knowledge and expertise to combat the exponential growth in cyber threats.”
As one of the founding partners supporting the initiative, Exclusive will be lending its experience and expertise to the campaign having recently established a partnership with California Polytechnic State University.
To support the initiative, Exclusive said it is opening an office on campus and currently sponsoring 12 students, 9 of which it says are already progressing through their security certification training assignments, delivered by Exclusive and its partners.
On the international front, Exclusive has also partnered with Guardia in Europe to launch the first private cybersecurity academy in France where it will help in the development of course content while also offering mentoring and internship opportunities for students.
“We are actively involved in a number of like-minded initiatives internationally and this is another great example of a programme that is taking direct action in solving the cyber skills problem,” Trolle continued. “It’s time for the industry to put its money where its mouth is if we want to plug the cyber skills gap any time soon. We also need to look for answers beyond the traditional talent pool and attract more diverse, underserved and underrepresented candidates and I applaud this initiative for taking this approach.”
The announcement comes as Exclusive recently became an advisory member of the Cyber Security Coalition in Belgium, a partnership between academia, public authorities and the private sector to share specialist expertise, knowledge and information to tackle cybercrime.
