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It’s no secret that lack of variety in company America is a well-documented downside and enhancements have been gradual. To assist enhance feminine illustration within the cybersecurity trade, Google teamed up with Ladies in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) and SANS Institute a yr in the past to ascertain the Safety Coaching Scholarship Program.
The multi-stage safety coaching program set individuals on a path to launch and advance their careers in cybersecurity by abilities growth, introducing them to elementary cybersecurity ideas with interactive challenges like Seize the Flag (CTF) and the SANS CyberStart Recreation, which introduces subjects equivalent to Linux, net assaults, programming, forensics, and extra. Mentors and friends information the individuals by every stage of this system and high qualifiers then graduate and obtain entry to the SANS foundational safety coaching programs, which readies and prepares these girls for his or her first roles within the safety trade. The purpose is to get them employed in cybersecurity throughout the subsequent 1.5 years and to create a robust community of ladies within the discipline – in essence, drawing extra girls to the trade and serving to to shut the expertise hole.
Because the inaugural program involves an finish, we’re proud to report that its total affect contains:
- 112 folks acquired training-based scholarship
- 15 Full Scholarship Recipients acquired the complete course coaching, which incorporates:
- CyberStart Recreation and SANS BootUp CTF
- SANS SEC275 Foundations & Examination
- SANS 401 Safety Necessities Bootcamp and GSEC
- Elective – SANS SEC504/GCIH, SEC488/GCLD, SEC560/GPEN, or SEC548/GWAPT
- 24 certifications earned up to now with 100% cross charge, with common rating on GSEC 90%
- Since 2013, solely 2 folks have scored 99% on GIAC Licensed Incident Handler (GCIH) one is a WiCyS Scholarship Recipient
- 1/3 of scholars have been employed in direct data safety roles earlier than this system ended
- 100% of Full Scholarship Recipients intend to have long run careers in data safety (15+ years)
Individuals reward this system’s sturdy networking element the place they’ll assist each other, share finest practices, ask questions from SANS safety consultants and obtain trade perception from members throughout Google’s safety workforce. As Lynn Dohm, govt director of WiCyS, informed us, “You can’t put a price ticket on the facility of group, and final yr’s WiCyS Safety Coaching Program proved simply that.”
Right here at Google, we’re impressed by the dedication and keenness the scholarship recipients have proven all through this system and are desirous to see what they accomplish all through their careers.
Elizabeth Beattie, who was a part of the inaugural program informed us, “I discovered that, as a part of my scholarship program with WiCyS, SANS Institute and Google, I’ve been awarded a scholarship to attend the WiCyS 2021 convention in September. In reality, I’ve volunteered to co-author a panel there with a few of my wonderful fellow recipients. And the crowning achievement? Tonight, I handed my first GIAC certification (GSEC)!”
Regardless of these nice outcomes, we all know there may be nonetheless a number of work to be achieved to assist educate and develop a extra inclusive data safety workforce. So this yr we’re increasing the Safety Trainings Scholarship Program to assist us attain much more girls and generate a gradual stream of expertise within the discipline of data safety. This growth wouldn’t have been attainable with out the added assist of Fb and Bloomberg, who’ve come on board this yr to spice up this vital program.
“We’re thrilled to scale this system this yr, powered by scholarships from Google, Bloomberg, and Fb,” mentioned Dohm. “Now, extra WiCyS members will be capable to dive deep and alter the trajectory of their profession in lower than a yr, all inside a cohort setting with in depth assist and assets offered by mentors and colleagues. That’s what empowerment seems to be like, and we’re thrilled that these three unimaginable strategic companions of WiCyS could make this occur for not solely the WiCyS group, but in addition for the sake of the cybersecurity workforce at giant.”
The following spherical of scholarships is open by August 2, 2021. To study extra and apply, please go to the WiCyS software web page. We will’t wait to satisfy the following cohort of recipients.
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