Kordia launches Cyber Academy scholarship to boost Kiwis' cybersecurity skills
Kordia wants to see more people in cybersecurity - and it's taking steps to make that a reality. The company has launched a six-week course that will give participants an overview of practical, hands-on cybersecurity training.
The Kordia Cyber Academy will award scholarships to 12 participants who will detect and respond to cybersecurity incidents every day during the course.
Kordia Group CEO Shaun Rendell says students will work alongside experts and gain skills to help them enter the cybersecurity workforce.
It couldn't be better timed - the global cybersecurity sector is crying out for skilled professionals, particularly as attacks hit businesses and individuals with unprecedented force.
Kordia believes that cybersecurity is one of the most demanded professionals in the world. The company points to a report by the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), which notes that 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs remained unfilled in 2020, possibly because fewer than one in four candidates were qualified to apply for them.
Closer to home, Kordia created the Cyber Academy to play its part in boosting New Zealand's cybersecurity sector and training talent in the field.
"Kordia acknowledges and embraces its leadership role and responsibility in developing cyber talent in New Zealand. The Kordia Cyber Academy is a demonstration of how we're proactively responding. We believe through initiatives like, this we can contribute to building a more cyber resilient New Zealand," Rendell explains.
The Cyber Academy covers:
- Asset discovery, classification and labelling
- Patch management
- Continuous vulnerability management
- Network segmentation and systems isolation
- Applications discovery and whitelisting
- Credentials management and monitoring
- Privileged Access Management methods
- Authentication methods and centralised logging
- Business continuity planning and disaster recovery
- Automation of processes and effective use of AI - machine learning in security operations
He hopes that those applying for the scholarships will represent a diverse range of people, particularly women, who make up less than a quarter of the cybersecurity workforce, according to an (ISC)2 report.
"At Kordia, we know having a diverse staff is crucial for the success of a business. This is particularly important in the tech sector, where new ideas are constantly needed to keep up with the pace of the industry. We hope the Kordia Cyber Academy will introduce a diverse range of new talent to New Zealand's cybersecurity force.
"We aren't just looking for young people or students, but also for those who want to make career changes to make the most of the unprecedented demand for cyber security experts. Kordia's specialists come from all walks of life, in fact, an extremely talented member of our team was recently working as a full-time chef.
The Cyber Academy will ideally be held face-to-face in Auckland, depending on alert levels. The course will be held over 18 hours, three days a week in-lab and possible industry placement on Thursdays and/or Fridays.
Kordia will select the 12 participants after reviewing applications and conducting interviews. Applicants will receive a full scholarship worth $3,600.
