Fortinet has announced that nineteen new universities in India have joined Fortinet’s Security Academy Program, including: Annasaheb Dange College of Engineering & Technology, Bennett University, Institute of Advance Management & Research, Shri Venkateshwara University, Sri SaiRam Engineering College, SASTRA Deemed University, Seacom Skills University, St. Xavier’s Catholic College of Engineering and Sri SaiRam Institute of Technology.
As part of the Security Academy Program, they will offer Fortinet’s Network Security Expert (NSE) training and certification content to their students in India. The nineteen universities add to the growing success of the Security Academy Program that is available in more than 80 different countries and is comprised of over 300 Authorized Security Academies.
Rajesh Maurya, Regional Vice President, India & SAARC at Fortinet said, “For years Fortinet has been committed to closing the cybersecurity skills gap through our NSE Training Institute programs. The Fortinet Security Academy Program allows academic institutions and non-profits to equip participants with the skills necessary for a career in cybersecurity. By supporting these leading universities in India, we’re arming the next generation of security leaders with the skillset and knowledge the industry so desperately needs.”
According to the 2019 ISC2 Cyber Security Workforce Study, around 2.8 million professionals currently work in cybersecurity around the globe, but an additional 4 million trained workers would be needed to close the skills gap and properly defend organizations. A Forbes Insights survey commissioned by Fortinet uncovered that CISOs are looking for more talent and need better training for employees. To address this industry-wide obstacle, one way Fortinet is tackling the cybersecurity skills gap issue is through its global NSE Training Institute programs, including the Security Academy Program.
The Security Academy Program, which is part of Fortinet’s NSE Training Institute, focuses on creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive pipeline of security professionals. The program does this by partnering with academic institutions and non-profits worldwide. Through the Security Academy Program, institutions around the world have incorporated Fortinet’s NSE training and certification content into their students’ curriculum.
Now, the nineteen new universities based in India will also be able to prepare students for career success in network security, allowing them to obtain both theoretical lectures and hands-on laboratory practice offered through the Security Academy Program.
With the addition of new institutions from India to the Security Academy Program, Fortinet is further empowering emerging security professionals to address the skills shortage and continue to help close the skills gap.
