RESTON, Va. and SPOKANE, Wash., Dec. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new multifaceted partnership of skill-building programs to jumpstart the entrance of cyber talent into the workplace is being pioneered by RiskLens and NextGen Cyber Talent. RiskLens is the leading provider of cyber risk quantification (CRQ) and cyber risk management software, while NextGen Cyber Talent is a known leader in non-profit education that aims to increase diversity and inclusion in cybersecurity.
The program is designed to provide several options to help close the cyber skills gap. This gap is estimated to reach 3.5 million jobs by the end of 2021, according to an ISC(2) Cybersecurity Workforce Study. Program highlights include:
- to help young people enter the security market, aligning with the NextGen mission to support the underserved segment of aspiring students through training and job placements.
- to facilitate the development of risk assessment, analysis, and management training, the second most in-demand skill in the security arena. This will help contribute to closing the widening skills gap which, in turn, will help customers and the industry, as well as help students realize lifelong career opportunities.
- to build a solid foundation in risk quantification through RiskLens' accredited course. This will enable students to attain a professional certification to help open doors in their cybersecurity careers, and lead to higher-paid employment.
"For more than a decade, the cybersecurity skills gap has been widening at a rapid pace, leaving many organizations vulnerable and at considerable risk to their intellectual property and data," said Nick Sanna, president and CEO, RiskLens. "As CISOs build out their programs and teams, they are finding fewer skilled workers to help them protect their organizations. There also is an increasing need to quantify the cybersecurity needs and solutions to best meet those challenges. Boards are demanding accountability. Our cyber risk quantification and risk management programs comprise the new generation of training that RiskLens can offer with NextGen Cyber Talent. And we want to be there to help the next generation of students realize their potential."
RiskLens also is providing free access to the FAIR Analysis Fundamentals course through its FAIR™ Training and Certification Program. The first cohort of 40 NextGen Cyber Talent students is underway, with additional cohorts to be added to the program. Upon completion, students will receive 50 percent discount vouchers for the Open FAIR™ certification exam, offered by The Open Group.
The RiskLens team is working with NextGen to structure the program's educational package through the RiskLens Academy. RiskLens trains thousands of risk management and security professionals every year on how to use FAIR to measure cyber risk in business terms.
The RiskLens-NextGen partnership also is being linked to RiskLens' DEI initiatives for 2021-2022.
“Full-time higher education programs are a significant commitment that are often time- or cost-restrictive for students. By offering individual courses and certification programs online, we’re able to make highly specialized careers and in-demand jobs more accessible to a wide group of future professionals,” said Krishnan Chellakarai, CISO at Gilead Sciences and founder and chairman at NextGen Cyber Talent. “Pioneering this program with RiskLens allows us to also offer new experiences in quantifying cyber risk and risk management, and also gives students direct access to leading experts in the field. This is a unique opportunity that we believe will make a significant impact for our students.”
For additional information about the RiskLens-NextGen Cyber Talent training program, visit https://www.nextgencybertalent.com/students/
About NextGen Cyber Talent
NextGen Cyber Talent is a non-profit providing a platform to increase diversity and inclusion in the cybersecurity industry. It brings together cybersecurity experts, solution providers and enterprises to make a difference in the underserved and underprivileged community and address a mounting cyber skills shortage and talent gap. To learn more, visit www.nextgencybertalent.com
About RiskLens
RiskLens helps organizations make better cybersecurity and technology investment decisions with software solutions that quantify cyber risk in financial terms. We are the creators of Factor Analysis of Information Risk (FAIR™), the international standard for cyber risk quantification, and the Technical Advisor to the FAIR Institute. The RiskLens platform is the only enterprise-scale software-as-a-service (SaaS) application for FAIR analysis. The RiskLens FAIR Enterprise Model (RFEM) creates flexibility to adopt FAIR and build programs, supporting companies at various maturity levels and with different business needs. With capabilities across the risk management process, and a large client base of Fortune 500 businesses, RiskLens is the only company with the expertise to help organizations navigate their most complex and challenging cybersecurity decisions. Visit us at www.risklens.com.
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