The White House recently announced that EC-Council, a prominent cybersecurity certification and training organization, has pledged $15 million to accelerate the development of cybersecurity skills in the nation. This significant commitment is aimed at reaching over 50,000 students through scholarships and advancing academic institutions with eight comprehensive, hands-on programs. These programs cover critical areas including Ethical Hacking, Network Defense, Digital Forensics, Threat Intelligence, Security Operations, IoT Security, DevSecOps, and Cloud Security, under the auspices of the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD).
The pledge addresses the pressing need to close the cyber skills gap, which is anticipated to reach a global shortfall of 3.5 million cybersecurity professionals by 2025. EC-Council’s initiative will offer access to a robust cybersecurity curriculum and instructional videos to a wide array of academic institutions in the United States, such as universities, NSA Centers of Academic Excellence (CAEs), community colleges, career schools, high schools, and non-profit organizations. By providing these scholarships, EC-Council aims to expedite skill development nationwide and foster a new generation of cybersecurity professionals.
Jay Bavisi, Group President of EC-Council, expressed his enthusiasm for the pledge, highlighting the organization’s mission to democratize cybersecurity education and train the future cyber workforce. The initiative will significantly enhance the accessibility of cybersecurity careers through the academic community, preparing the next generation of ethical hackers vital for protecting against cyber threats.
EC-Council supports over 800 Institutions of Higher Education in North America with turnkey cyber programs designed to develop in-demand skills needed by employers. This support extends to more than half of the nation’s CAEs through high-quality certification programs, learning resources, cyber ranges, and cyber competitions, thereby producing highly skilled and employable graduates across the nation.
National Cyber Director Harry Coker Jr. of the Executive Office of the President lauded EC-Council’s pledge, noting that the scholarships will empower over 50,000 students to earn new industry credentials and enhance their cybersecurity skills through practical programs.