IBM collaborates with educational institutions to champion cybersecurity
Multinational technology firm IBM,is collaborating with twenty historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) across the country to form Cybersecurity Leadership Centers that will equip both students and faculty with free training and certification.
In a report, IBM said that faculty and students at participating schools will have free access to cybersecurity coursework, lectures, immersive training experiences, certifications, IBM Cloud-hosted software, and professional development.
“Collaborations between academia and the private sector can help students prepare for success. That’s especially true for HBCUs because their mission is so vital,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President, IBM Corporate Social Responsibility and ESG.
“The Cybersecurity Leadership Centers we’re co-creating with Historically Black College and Universities epitomize our commitment to the Black community and STEM education; it also builds on our pledge to train 150,000 people in cybersecurity over three years,” he added.
According to the recent IBM security study, in the US alone, there are 500,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs, thus, resulting in the increasing demand for expertise. Moreover, appalling insufficiently staffed organizations average US$550,000 more in breach costs than those that claim they are sufficiently staffed.
