In addition to an ever-growing number of cyber-threats, the cybersecurity industry has two major challenges: a shortage of talent to meet increasing job demands, and a lack of women in the field.
To address both, Cybrary and Women in Technology (WIT) are partnering on a pilot program to provide cybersecurity training and educational opportunities for women through the use of Cybrary's enterprise training platform.
Demand for cybersecurity professionals is growing four times faster than the overall IT job market, according to the company’s research, and 12 times faster than the total labor market; in 2013, there were more than 200,000 national job postings for cybersecurity positions. What's more, women make up less than 11% of the cybersecurity workforce.
“Our mission is to provide comprehensive IT and cybersecurity training options for underserved and disadvantaged people seeking to break into cybersecurity or advance in their current jobs,” said Ryan Corey, co-founder of Cybrary. “Our platform will assist Women in Technology in advancing their mission by enabling WIT members and protégés to access our growing catalog of free IT and cybersecurity courses and content, as well as actively track the progress of participants.”
Cybrary is providing unlimited licenses for their enterprise training platform to several WIT programs in order to enhance technical skills in IT and cyber security. WIT’s plans include using Cybrary to support collaboration between WIT’s Workforce Development Committee (WDC) and Cybersecurity Special Interest Group (CyberSIG) to assist WIT members and their guests in optimizing their careers and in planning career transitions with significant hands-on training in cybersecurity.
WIT will also use Cybrary materials to expand their Girls in Technology CyberGirls training for the CyberPatriot High School Competition. WIT’s Young Professionals have been welcomed to Cybrary’s computer labs to support their new Cornerstone initiative to bring computer literacy to refugee women, enhancing their integration into American society and improving their ability to find good jobs to support their families.
“We are thrilled to join Cybrary in its educational efforts,” says WIT president Kellye Sheehan. “As our technology becomes more innovative and more complex, we need to build a stronger collective understanding of IT and cybersecurity. This is a chance to create expanded educational opportunities for women all across the D.C.-metro area.”
Cybrary’s training program allows mentors of hands-on training to assign and easily track the completion of classes by users, and receive reports and notifications on how trainees are progressing on learning objectives. Additionally, Cybrary content and courses are available for organizations that require security training for industry compliance with CAP, FISMA, HIPAA, Risk Management Framework and End User Security Awareness.