The International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium and IBM teamed up on February 12 to launch the IBM and ISC2 Cybersecurity Specialist Professional Certificate, which can be earned through a free four-month training course for beginners . IBM chose ISC2 to develop the certification program, which prepares potential cybersecurity professionals for a career in a cybersecurity specialist role.
IBM and ISC2 certificate provides cybersecurity training and skills testing
The IBM and ISC2 Cybersecurity Specialist Professional Certificate is comprised of the domains of the ISC2 Cybersecurity Certified certification training, which are:
- Security principles.
- Response to the incident.
- Business continuity and disaster recovery.
- Concepts of access controls.
- Network security and security operations.
Upon completion of the 12-course certification program, participants will receive an IBM Digital Skills Badge, demonstrating their competency to potential employers. Participants are encouraged to further develop their skills by registering as an ISC2 candidate and taking the free ISC2 Cybersecurity Certificate test, which helps demonstrate your skills on a resume or in a job interview. More than 360,000 people worldwide have enrolled in Certified Cybersecurity certification training.
Cybersecurity jobs remain in high demand
“The cyber workforce urgently needs skilled professionals. “This partnership enables aspiring professionals to demonstrate technical proficiency and build a strong foundation of skills, helping people get their foot in the door of employers and boost their careers,” said Clar Rosso, CEO of ISC2, in a Press release.
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According to ISC2 research, the gap between supply and demand for cybersecurity professionals reached 4 million people by 2023. The workforce would need to grow by 73% to effectively cover the potentially vulnerable assets of all organizations, ISC2 found .
“Having IBM and Coursera recognize the value of our CC certification is enormously encouraging and promotes progress to help close the cybersecurity workforce gap,” Rosso said.
“With increasing threats against critical systems and the world's reliance on technology, the demand for cybersecurity specialists is greater than ever,” IBM Skills Network director and chief technology officer Leon Katsnelson said in the release. press. “We are thrilled to partner with ISC2 and Coursera toward our common goal of empowering aspiring cybersecurity professionals with the critical skills to succeed in this in-demand profession.”
According to the US Department of Labor in October 2023, information security analyst is among the IT jobs that will be in high demand during the decade from 2022 to 2032.
How opening doors to junior professionals benefits organizations and the cybersecurity industry
For organizations, certification programs like this offer easy paths to train or retrain employees for internal positions, if necessary. With ransomware still in use and generative AI potentially allowing attackers to train models with stolen data in the future, demand for cybersecurity professionals is likely to only increase.
“One of the most persistent cybersecurity staffing challenges that organizations around the world experience is being able to identify entry- and junior-level candidates with the right skills and aptitudes to learn and grow on the job,” Rosso told TechRepublic in an email.
“At the same time, early career applicants are unable to demonstrate their understanding of cybersecurity concepts and attract the attention of hiring managers… [The certification is] a win-win for employers, prospective employees and the cybersecurity industry as a whole,” Rosso said.
