Students in the 20 wk & 68 wk cohort talk about why they are interested in working in Cybersecurity
The Joint Economic Development Initiative (JEDI) is excited to announce the graduation of the inaugural cohort of Indigenous Cybersecurity professionals in New Brunswick.
JEDI, in partnership with the College communautaire du Nouveau Brunswick (CCNB), Bulletproof Solutions Inc. and the Department of Post-Secondary Education Training and Labour (PETL), developed two Cybersecurity programs to increase Indigenous representation within this flourishing industry.
“JEDI is thrilled to be partnering with CCNB and Bulletproof Solutions on two leading-edge Cybersecurity programs for Indigenous peoples in New Brunswick. The Cybersecurity industry is growing and Indigenous peoples are ready to be part of it. These two programs have been designed and delivered with industry input and will launch our students into a robust industry that is in need of employees and is waiting for them to graduate,” said Alex Dedam, President of JEDI.
The two Cybersecurity programs offered are an advanced 20-week program for Indigenous peoples with a background in Information Technology (IT) and a 68-week program for those without any formal IT training. Both program curriculums were inspired by the “National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education” (NICE) and “National Institute of Standards and Technology” (NICE).
“It was an absolute pleasure to work so closely with all the partners involved in this project. The commitment for excellence in making leading-edge training available for the Indigenous community was unwavering and successful. From initial planning to student graduation, I think it’s safe to say the program successfully brought fresh enthusiastic cybersecurity professionals to the Cybersecurity market, encouraging employers to look forward to the next wave of graduates,” said Darryl Esau, VP Bulletproof Learning Services.
On July 19, 2019, six learners will graduate from the advanced program with a Cybersecurity certification from CCNB. Furthermore, students participating in the 68-week program will graduate in December 2019 with an accredited diploma from CCNB and CySA+ certification. These innovative programs also offer a variety of training and mentorship opportunities to ensure graduates leave with the tools and skills they need to be job-ready upon program completion.
“CCNB is happy and grateful to have been once again able to secure funding through the federal government’s Post-Secondary Partnership Program (PSPP) to provide quality education to the First Nations youth. Cybersecurity is a sector in high demand and we are confident that these graduates will be successful in finding employment upon completion of the program. We greatly value our partnership with JEDI and our new ally, Bulletproof in bringing this unprecedented opportunity to this community with great potential. Most of all, we are honoured to contribute in fulfilling the dreams of these inspiring young people and we wish them good luck in following their passions,” as stated by Mr. Roger Doucet, Acting CEO of CCNB.
New Brunswick is positioned as the hub of Canada's cyber security sector. A new Cybersecurity Innovation Centre is currently under construction to house the growing number of Cybersecurity companies and organizations being established in Fredericton. The demand for Cybersecurity talent is growing and these specialized programs will help to fulfil an increasing need within the province.
“New Brunswick has a strong foot-hold in the door to what is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world. Partnerships like this one are an excellent example of what needs to happen to make sure we have a skilled workforce in place for our province to prosper and grow. Congratulations to JEDI and the partners for helping to launch these students on what promises to be an exciting career path,” said Mary Wilson, Minister of Economic Development and Small Business and Minister responsible for Opportunities NB.