(ISC)² - the world's largest nonprofit
association of certified cybersecurity professionals - announced the
(ISC)
2 One Million Certified in Cybersecurity program,
pledging to put one million people through its foundational Certified in
Cybersecurity entry-level certification exam and education program for free.
The program builds upon the success of the (ISC)
2 ‘100K in the UK' initiative, which pledged
100,000 free exams and course enrollments for UK residents earlier this year.
Announced during the Cyber
Workforce and Education Summit at the White House today, the program builds
upon (ISC)2 leadership in delivering solutions to our global
cybersecurity workforce challenges. Research suggests organizations that focus on
recruiting and developing entry-level cybersecurity staff - including those
with little or no technical experience - accelerates the invaluable hands-on
training the next generation of professionals needs to start a successful
cybersecurity career.
Those who earn the (ISC)2
Certified in Cybersecurity certification - currently in the final stages of a
global pilot program - will demonstrate to employers that they have the
foundational knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for an entry-level
cybersecurity role.
"For more than 30 years,
(ISC)2 has advocated for the advancement, expansion and enablement
of the cybersecurity workforce. Our ‘100K in the UK' program garnered more than
10,000 applicants in its first two months. It is a resounding call to action
for organizations serious about expanding the cybersecurity workforce to make
the necessary investments now to break down barriers and clear obstacles for
anyone interested in a cybersecurity career," said Clar Rosso, CEO, (ISC)2.
"We support the aims of the Biden Administration, the U.S. National Cyber
Director and administrations around the world focused on this critical issue.
We are proud to announce this initiative alongside so many others who share a
strong commitment to addressing our cybersecurity workforce challenges and look
forward to building the public-private partnerships needed to accomplish our
goal of One Million Certified in Cybersecurity."
How
the Program will Work
Starting September 2022,
(ISC)2 will open registration. Qualified individuals will receive a
free exam, as well as access to the (ISC)2 Certified in
Cybersecurity online self-paced education course. The course provides a review
of the subject matter published in the Certified in Cybersecurity exam outline,
which shares the security concepts on which certification candidates will be
evaluated, including:
- Security
Principles
- Business
Continuity (BC), Disaster Recovery (DR) and Incident Response Concepts
- Access
Controls Concepts
- Network
Security
- Security
Operations
University students,
recent graduates, career changers and other professionals wishing to expand
their skills and opportunities are encouraged to participate, especially
individuals employed or seeking employment within small and midsized
businesses.
(ISC)2 will
work closely with new and existing partner organizations to reach historically
under-represented populations and encourage greater diversity within the
cybersecurity community. (ISC)² has pledged that half of the expanded
commitment - 500,000 course enrollments and exams - will be directed toward
students of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs),
minority-serving institutions (MSIs), tribal organizations and women's
organizations across the U.S. and the globe.
After successfully completing
the exam, candidates will become (ISC)² members with access to a wide array of
professional development resources to help them throughout their careers. The
(ISC)² entry-level cybersecurity certification is the first step on a
career-long journey that will help cybersecurity professionals gain experience
and work toward advanced qualifications such as the (ISC)² CISSP and (ISC)²
CCSP.
A
Global and National Skills Challenge
Research continues to
reveal that organizations around the world do not have enough cybersecurity
staff to adequately defend their networks from increasingly prevalent and
sophisticated cyberattacks. (ISC)2 estimates a global cybersecurity
workforce gap of more than 2.7 million. While the U.S. cybersecurity workforce
is comprised of more than 1.14 million people, according to (ISC)2,
the federal government estimates the country has more than 700,000
cybersecurity job vacancies.
(ISC)2 created
the Certified in Cybersecurity entry-level certification as part of a broad
strategy to support and nurture a new generation of cybersecurity professionals
entering the field.
For more information on
the (ISC)2 Certified in Cybersecurity, please visit: www.isc2.org/certified-in-cybersecurity.