#Fortinet has made significant strides in its mission to address the cybersecurity skills shortage. At the halfway mark of its 5-year pledge to train 1 million individuals in cybersecurity by the end of 2026, Fortinet has already trained over half a million people.
John Maddison, Chief Marketing Officer at Fortinet, stated: “Through our longstanding investments to address the cyber talent shortage, Fortinet continues to grow and expand our programs and strategic partnerships by delivering an award-winning cybersecurity training and certification program. Addressing the cyber skills gap is vital to enhancing our society’s collective cyber resiliency, and we are committed to developing the current and future cyber workforce through the Fortinet Training Institute. As part of this effort, we remain focused on our pledge to train 1 million individuals in cyber by 2026.”
News Summary
Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), a global cybersecurity leader, has announced significant progress in its mission to address the cybersecurity skills shortage through its Training Institute programs. As part of the company’s commitment to closing the cyber workforce gap, Fortinet pledged to train 1 million people in cybersecurity by the end of 2026. With more than half a million people trained since the pledge was announced, Fortinet is on track to meet this commitment.
As the cybersecurity landscape grows increasingly complex, the demand for skilled professionals continues to rise, with an estimated 4.8 million cybersecurity professionals needed to address the industry’s workforce gap. Fortinet’s 2024 Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report reveals that 70% of organizations believe the shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals is increasing risks to their security.
Key Initiatives and Achievements
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Award-Winning Cybersecurity Curriculum: Fortinet’s recent accolades include winning the 2024 SC Awards for Best Professional Certification Program. Enhancements to the Fortinet Network Security Expert (NSE) Certification program now offer multiple certification options focused on role-based training, such as administrator, analyst, and architect, as well as a foundational certification level. Fortinet has also received numerous awards for its cybersecurity training and security awareness programs.
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European Commission’s Cybersecurity Skills Academy Initiative Pledge: Fortinet pledged to offer its award-winning cybersecurity training and security awareness curriculum to up to 75,000 individuals for free in Europe over the next three years. This initiative aims to develop critical cyber skills across all 27 countries of the European Union.
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All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and EduSkills Foundation Partnership: Fortinet is partnering with AICTE and EduSkills Foundation to offer 100,000 virtual internships in cybersecurity across India, providing its Certification program free of cost.
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Fortinet Cyber Bootcamps: Fortinet is hosting cybersecurity and networking bootcamps worldwide to increase access to its training curriculum. Earlier this year, Fortinet hosted a threat hunting workshop for participants of the MITRE Embedded Capture the Flag (eCTF) competition, providing hands-on cybersecurity experience.
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Driving a Diverse Cyber Workforce through Partnerships: Fortinet’s Education Outreach program and Veterans program cultivate partnerships to drive a skilled, inclusive, and diverse cyber workforce. Recent collaborations include partnerships with the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Cyber Catalyst Talent Solutions, and Tech Vets Canada, among others, to offer bootcamps for veterans and members of Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS).
Building on Fortinet’s Longstanding Commitment
These initiatives build on Fortinet’s longstanding commitment to addressing the cybersecurity skills gap worldwide. The Fortinet Training Institute delivers training and certifications to IT and security professionals, students, educators, and underserved communities through various programs. The ecosystem supporting these programs includes more than 700 partners across over 100 countries globally. Fortinet also participates in public-private partnerships, including the White House’s National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy commitments, by introducing free security awareness training for primary and secondary school educators and students globally.
FAQs
Q1: What is Fortinet’s goal for cybersecurity training? A1: Fortinet aims to train 1 million individuals in cybersecurity by the end of 2026.
Q2: How many people has Fortinet trained so far? A2: Fortinet has trained over half a million people since announcing its 5-year pledge.
Q3: What are some key initiatives Fortinet has undertaken? A3: Key initiatives include the European Commission’s Cybersecurity Skills Academy Initiative, partnerships with AICTE and EduSkills Foundation in India, and hosting cybersecurity bootcamps worldwide.
Q4: How does Fortinet support a diverse cyber workforce? A4: Fortinet supports diversity through partnerships with organizations like BCIT, Cyber Catalyst Talent Solutions, Tech Vets Canada, and Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS).
Q5: What awards has Fortinet’s training program received? A5: Fortinet’s training program has received numerous awards, including the 2024 SC Awards for Best Professional Certification Program and multiple accolades from the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards and Globee Cyber Security Global Excellence Awards.