Fortinet®, a global leader in broad, integrated and automated cybersecurity solutions, has announced that two more education providers in Singapore will offer cybersecurity training and certification under the Fortinet Network Security Academy (FNSA) programme.
The FNSA, which is part of Fortinet’s Network Security Expert (NSE) Institute, provides cybersecurity training and certification curricula for high schools, colleges and universities with the mission to prepare the future workforce with cybersecurity skills sought after by employers.
The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and NTUC LearningHub will leverage Fortinet’s comprehensive network security platform to run courses about modern network administration and security. The Academy will provide Fortinet’s industry-recognised Network Security Expert (NSE) training and certification opportunities to participants to help prepare students for career success in network security, obtaining both theoretical lectures and hands-on laboratory practice during the course.
The FNSA programme is available at 150 academies in more than 60 different countries. In Singapore, Nanyang Polytechnic was the first to partner Fortinet for the FNSA programme. The addition of ITE and NTUC LearningHub as FNSA programme partners was announced during a signing ceremony held at the official opening of Fortinet’s regional headquarters at its new premises at Suntec City.
“The FNSA curriculum is well-suited for our students who are digital natives. Having grown up with technology, they have a natural interest in IT and AI. Digital advances in the economy mean there will continue to be strong demand for cybersecurity professionals. Armed with knowledge from the ITE-FNSA programme, our graduates will be well-placed to play a part in Singapore’s Smart Nation efforts, protecting digital assets and enterprises from cyber threats,” said Dr Eric Cheung, Senior Director, School of Electronics & Info-Comm Technology at ITE College East.
ITE-FNSA programme
The ITE-FNSA programme will complement the current Higher Nitec in Cyber & Network Security course. Students will learn how to design and configure secure enterprise networks with next generation firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), email, and anti-malware security technologies.
The ITE-FNSA programme is available at ITE colleges now with a preliminary enrolment of 260 students in the Higher Nitec in Cyber & Network Security course offer in College East and College West starting Apr 2019.
NTUC LearningHub–FNSA programme
The FNSA programme offered by NTUC LearningHub will be part of a comprehensive suite of training courses ranging from basic IT skills to Advanced Infocomm Technology (ICT) skills, as well as an online learning platform.
Employers and employees can look forward to enrolling by 24-28 June 2019. More information will be shared on the NTUC LearningHub website in due course.
“The partnership with Fortinet will further strengthen NTUC LearningHub’s mission to upskill the Singapore workforce towards the vision of Worker 4.0. When it comes to cybersecurity, employers now recognise the importance of staff as their first line of defence against a cyberattack. We welcome the flexibility offered by the FNSA’s various levels of certification that can cater to the needs for both IT and non-IT workers,” said Mr Kwek Kok Kwong, Chief Executive Officer of NTUC LearningHub.
Building a Cyberdefence Workforce.
Senior Minister of State Dr Janil Puthucheary officiates the opening of the Fortinet regional office and unveils a commemorative plaque with Mr Patrice Perche, Fortinet’s Senior Executive Vice President
According to a recent workforce development survey, 59% of organisations have unfilled cybersecurity positions, with Frost & Sullivan forecasting a shortfall of 1.5 million by 2020. The 2018 Emerging Jobs in Singapore report by LinkedIn found that cybersecurity specialists are one of the top five in-demand jobs locally, fuelled by increasing awareness of the risks posed by cybercrime.
As the cybersecurity skills gap continues to widen, it is creating what some now consider to be one of the top cybersecurity risks for many organisations. This critical shortage in the cybersecurity workforce has resulted in security operations teams who are overworked and understaffed, which can often result in either neglecting to adhere to cybersecurity best practices, or careless errors in caring for network and security resources.
Aside from training students and the next-generation workforce, cybersecurity is a viable career option for those looking to change careers or those re-entering the workforce after an absence.
Employers can invest in their own employees who already have technical skills and backgrounds by providing them with cybersecurity specific training and continuing education through courses with the FNSA programme. By enrolling members of their IT teams in this, organisations can help fill security talent shortages from within their own employee pool.
By expanding the availability of the Network Security Academy programme across the world, Fortinet is empowering emerging security professionals to address the skills shortage and continue to help close the skills gap.
“Singapore’s Smart Nation goals put the country in the crosshairs of cybercriminals because every component that is connected to the network is a possible attack entry point. While organisations can leverage a variety of solutions to maintain an effective security posture, competent manpower is still needed to pull all cyber-defence components together, and it is here that the FNSA programme aims to make a difference,” said Mr Thiantara Kruathorn, Fortinet’s Country Director for Singapore and Brunei.
