Global IT association ISACA has launched its bid to reduce the global IT security skills shortage with a new course designed for those just starting out on their career in information security.
Citing research that 92% of organizations hiring this year would find it difficult to find candidates with the right level of cyber security skills, ISACA claimed its new online course would help plug the gap.
The Cybersecurity Fundamentals program will be made available through ISACA’s Cybersecurity Nexus platform and is designed for those who’ve just begun, or who are thinking about entering the profession.
Effectively this means individuals with 0-3 years of cyber security experience, students and recent graduates or those with a passion for the subject but who haven’t yet embarked on a career.
It covers several topic areas including: cyber security principles; information security within lifecycle management; risks and vulnerabilities; incident response; and future implications and evolving technologies.
Steven Babb, chair of the Knowledge Board and ISACA international vice president, told Infosecurity that as the course has been designed as an introduction to cyber security, it’s suitable for anyone globally who wants to take it.
He added that it would help improve knowledge and provide employers with a means to better assess candidates’ skill levels.
“Primarily, it is to allow individuals to demonstrate their knowledge against recognized criteria that have been aligned by ISACA to the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), which is compatible with global cybersecurity issues, activities and job roles,” said Babb.
“The certificate is also aligned with the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). We are clearly expecting employers to pick up on this alignment and recognize the value that it brings to them in recruiting individuals into entry level cyber-related roles.”
The course takes around eight hours to complete, costs $250 for ISACA members and $400 for non-members, and includes 90 days of access.
Those who successfully pass the related exam will receive a Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate, said ISACA.