(ISC)² Announces Pledge with the European Commission to Increase the Cybersecurity Workforce Throughout the European Union
(ISC)² the world’s largest non-profit association of certified cybersecurity professionals announced its pledge with the European Commission to expand the reach of its One Million Certified in Cybersecurity program. (ISC)2 will provide a minimum of 20,000 individuals in Europe with its foundational Certified in Cybersecurity℠ entry-level certification exam and education program for free to help address the critical cybersecurity skills gap in Europe.
The pledge helps reduce the E.U.’s cybersecurity skills gap by equipping individuals with their first professional cybersecurity certification to demonstrate foundational knowledge, skills and abilities for entry- and junior-level cybersecurity roles. Aimed at career changers, recent graduates and entry- and junior-level cybersecurity practitioners, the (ISC)2 Certified in Cybersecurity certification has grown significantly since its launch in August 2022, with more than 190,000 people enrolling globally.
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“Cybersecurity skills are the backbone of Europe’s digital economy, and we need to continue to prioritize workforce development to make inroads to decreasing critical staffing shortages,” said Clar Rosso, CEO, (ISC)². “Through this collaboration with the European Commission, our goal is to help upskill and reskill 20,000 cybersecurity career pursuers in the E.U. Together, we are creating new pathways into rewarding and challenging cybersecurity careers and strengthening the cybersecurity workforce throughout Europe.”
The 2022 Cybersecurity Workforce Study revealed that the E.U. has one of the largest cybersecurity workforces globally, with an estimated cybersecurity workforce of more than 883,000, yet the E.U. still faces a cybersecurity workforce gap of over 260,000 professionals. In fact, the European Commission states that more than three-quarters of organizations within the E.U. have difficulties finding professionals with the necessary cybersecurity skills. Additionally, only 37% of adults undertake training regularly, underscoring the need for new learning opportunities, especially online and self-paced.
The European Commission has designated 2023 as the ‘Year of Skills’ to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, participation and talent pipeline within the E.U. While the proposal focuses on harnessing skills for a variety of labor markets, cybersecurity is an important focal area. To support the European Year of Skills, the E.U. has launched many training and upskilling initiatives to increase the cybersecurity workforce, including the introduction of the Cybersecurity Skills Academy on April 18. The Cybersecurity Skills Academy unites existing cybersecurity skills initiatives and consolidates them onto an online platform. The academy’s goal is to enhance the visibility of the resources and amplify the impact, increasing the number of skilled cybersecurity professionals in the E.U.
How the Pledge Will Work
The pledge is open to all E.U. residents who do not hold an (ISC)² cybersecurity certification. Recent graduates, career changers, IT professionals and other professionals looking to move into cybersecurity are encouraged to participate.
Once enrolled, participants will gain access to the online self-paced education course for the (ISC)² entry-level cybersecurity certification. After successfully completing the free exam, participants will become (ISC)² members with access to a wide array of professional development resources to help them throughout their careers.
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What the Exam Covers
The (ISC)² entry-level cybersecurity certification exam evaluates candidates in the following five subject areas:
- Security Principles
- Business Continuity (BC), Disaster Recovery (DR) and Incident Response Concepts
- Access Controls Concepts
- Network Security
- Security Operations
The exam outline provides additional details on each domain, and the online self-paced course materials help to guide candidates through the subject areas. Additionally, the Certified in Cybersecurity certification exam is currently available in English, German and Spanish, among other languages.
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