Business & Technology
Fortinet Wins the “Professional Certification Program of the Year ”Award for Third Year in a Row
For the third year in a row, Fortinet is honored to be named the winner of the “Professional Certification Program of the Year” award. The fifth annual CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards program conducted by CyberSecurity Breakthrough, a leading independent market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies, and products in the global information security market today, recognized Fortinet for our work in helping to close the cybersecurity skills gap with cybersecurity training. The mission of the CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards is to honor excellence and recognize the innovation, hard work, and success in a range of information security categories, including Cloud Security, Threat Detection, Risk Management, Fraud Prevention, Mobile Security, Email Security, and many more. This year’s program attracted more than 4,000 nominations from over 20 different countries throughout the world.
“The cybersecurity skills gap is a significant challenge for organizations of all sizes,” said James Johnson, managing director, CyberSecurity Breakthrough. “This issue is compounded with the growing sophisticated threat landscape. Organizations must have the proper security and skilled professionals to protect themselves. Through its NSE Training Institute, Fortinet continues to take a leadership position to help close the cybersecurity skills gap around the world. We’re proud to be able to single out Fortinet for the third year running as our choice for ‘Professional Certification Program of the Year.’”
Working to Bridge the Cybersecurity Skills Gap
The Fortinet Certification program has expanded into a robust eight-level program, totaling over 400 hours of curriculum, consisting of cybersecurity fundamental education, technical product training, advanced solution-based training, and cybersecurity expert recognition. The program, supported by Fortinet’s partner network, has issued over 700,000 NSE certifications to date.
In our continued efforts to help bridge the cybersecurity skills gap, Fortinet recently pledged to train 1 million people globally over the next five years through our Training Advancement Agenda (TAA), which includes several pillars that cross cybersecurity training, certification, career growth, and employment-assistance programs. Through our TAA initiative and the Network Security Expert (NSE) Training Institute, we continue to provide industry-leading cybersecurity training and resources for all, ranging from security professionals to untapped talent, such as women, minorities, students, veterans, and more. Through the NSE Training Institute Veterans program, Fortinet partners with military-focused nonprofits and has helped over 2,000 veterans and military family members develop skills, reskill, or upskill to enter a career in cybersecurity. Fortinet offers free cybersecurity training, including advanced training for security professionals, technical training for IT professionals, and awareness training for teleworkers.
Cybersecurity Training and Certification
Fortinet’s TAA initiative was formed to close the skills gap with cybersecurity training and certifications, career opportunities, and key partnership. As well as providing free training, the program connects professionals to potential employers and forges partnerships with organizations focused on women, minorities, and veterans. The TAA comprises numerous training and education initiatives that emphasize supporting these key groups to train and up-level cybersecurity professionals, cultivate a diverse talent pool, and improve cybersecurity knowledge for the greater good.
Another program under the NSE Training Institute is the Security Academy program, which provides industry-recognized training and certification opportunities to academic institutions worldwide. The program works with educational institutions to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive cybersecurity workforce and bridges the gap between learning and careers. These academic institutions range from K–12 to higher education and research institutions. Through the program, institutions are given access to Fortinet’s NSE Certification program content to integrate into their own curriculum, along with exam vouchers, in order to prepare students for a career in cybersecurity and help develop the next-generation of cybersecurity professionals.
Education Outreach and Partnerships to Close the Cybersecurity Skills Gap
Fortinet’s work in education research to engage and recruit new talent also forges partnerships to drive change on pressing cybersecurity issues to ensure that cybersecurity education reaches everyone to help close the cybersecurity skills gap. As part of the Fortinet NSE Training Institute, the Education Outreach program collaborates with global leaders to foster a skilled, inclusive, and diverse cyber workforce. Partnerships extend to various sectors, including academia, government, and nonprofits, to ensure all populations, including women, minorities, and veterans, are provided with opportunities and resources for a career in cybersecurity.
Fortinet is also a founding member of and supports multiple initiatives for the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Centre for Cybersecurity, holding one of only two permanent seats on this international council. The Centre for Cybersecurity was designed to shape the future of cybersecurity and digital trust worldwide, safeguard innovation, protect institutions, businesses, and individuals, and secure our growing reliance on the digital economy. Fortinet continues to build on its partnership with Salesforce.com and the WEF on the Cybersecurity Learning Hub initiative. And as part of the INTERPOL ICGEG (Global Expert Group), Fortinet also works with the FBI to help counter cybercrime and cyber-terrorism.
With the above initiatives, Fortinet supports the growth and diversification of the cybersecurity workforce, and the TAA helps educate people globally in cyber awareness to create a safer, more secure digital world.
Find out more about how Fortinet’s Training Advancement Agenda (TAA) and NSE Training Institute programs, including the Certification Program, Security Academy Program and Veterans Program, are helping to solve the cyber skills gap and prepare the cybersecurity workforce of tomorrow.
