Cybersecurity training organization the SANS Institute has announced its first ever recruitment fair, designed to bring employers and fully-trained information security candidates closer together.
The SANS Cyber Academy Recruitment Fair will be held in October, halfway through a training course run by the institute which will get participants fully trained, ensuring they are ready to step into an infosec career by the end of it.
SANS initially filtered down over 24,000 applicants for the program via a skills and aptitude assessment. The remaining 200 were then invited to apply for the Cyber Academy and attend a series of interviews.
The final 40 candidates will receive “bespoke training” in line with current industry and government skill requirements, including three SANS courses and three GIAC certifications.
The participants will apparently be a mix of recent graduates, “cyber enthusiasts” and former military personnel.
Employers signed up to the initiative will get access to anonymized profiles of the 40 candidates, including their CV and the results of their interviews and skills and aptitude assessment, so they can assess their suitability prior to the recruitment fair, according to SANS.
“Organizations have become frustrated by the time it takes to find new cybersecurity talent, and with the costly process of training new staff, only to have them take their skills elsewhere just as they start delivering value,” said SANS UK managing director, Steve Jones.
“So we’ve flipped the recruitment model on its head, acting as a filter for employers, identifying the very best candidates in the country, and training them to a level where they are ready to deliver value from the moment they walk through the door.”
Jones told Infosecurity that the initiative would help to reduce the growing cybersecurity skills gap.
“The problem is, new starters take a couple of years to get to the point where they start creating value. So companies are often reluctant to hire new people and instead go after the narrow pool of existing talent,” he explained.
“This drives up salaries and the exploitation of the recruitment market, meaning talent goes to organizations with the deepest pockets and many positions are left unfilled.”
New initiatives to train up students with cybersecurity skills are promising, but will take time to bear fruit, Jones argued.
“We are constantly hearing from employers that they need work-ready employees right now. So that’s what we are doing with this initiative – finding and training the best talent to start making an impact immediately,” he said.