Organizations are committed to raising
awareness for closing the talent gap and increasing diversity
within the cybersecurity industry
SAN
FRANCISCO, May 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the talent
gap continues to present a massive and growing challenge within the
cybersecurity industry, NightDragon, Cisco and World Wide
Technology (WWT) today announced a collaboration with NPower to
increase diversity and empower individuals from all backgrounds to
pursue careers in cybersecurity.
The cyber talent gap presents a significant and immediate issue
to the cybersecurity industry, with 92% of cyber organizations
reporting a talent shortage, according to the
latest Cybersecurity Workforce Study from ISC2, and an
estimated total workforce gap of around 4 million positions. The
gap is particularly prominent for women, which account for only 24%
of the cybersecurity workforce, and minorities and people of color,
which represent only 26%.
NPower, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing the cyber
and technology careers of thousands of students, is working to
address these issues through free technology training, support and
job-placement services that help young adults, military-connected
individuals, women from under-resourced communities and other
students from nontraditional backgrounds transition to lucrative
and rewarding careers in cybersecurity and technology.
"Creating a new pipeline of talent for the tech workforce has
never been more essential, and it is up to us as an industry to
work together to provide the training and development that will
make it possible for people of all backgrounds to break into
cybersecurity and other fast-growing technology roles. We are
excited to work with Cisco, WWT and NightDragon to raise awareness
of this issue and make a significant impact together," said
Bertina Ceccarelli, CEO of
NPower.
Under the collaboration, announced at the RSA Conference in
San Francisco, Cisco, NightDragon,
WWT and NPower will work together to close the cyber talent gap and
advance the state of cybersecurity workforce training and
development by hiring NPower candidates within their respective
ecosystems and supporting the non-profit through volunteer
engagement. Additionally, the organizations will work together to
evangelize the importance of closing the cyber talent gap and
increasing diversity within the industry.
Commitments from the organizations include:
- NightDragon has formalized a partnership with
NPower and will encourage its portfolio companies to support the
organization and place qualified candidates in open roles.
Additionally, NightDragon portfolio company ThriveDX has committed
$1 million in scholarships to its
cybersecurity boot camps to help support talent training
efforts.
- WWT, a long-time strategic partner of NPower, will build
on its decade-long commitment to fostering diversity in the tech
industry through mentorship, resources and opportunities for
underrepresented individuals to thrive in technology careers. Since
2014, more than 50 NPower graduates have become interns,
apprentices and full-time employees at WWT.
- Cisco will work to identify qualified individuals
trained through the NPower skill program for cybersecurity-focused
roles.
The collaboration with NPower builds on existing efforts from
Cisco, NightDragon and WWT to advance inclusion across the
industry. Cisco is a leader in advancing cyber talent, including
hosting the Cyber Talent Bridge to connect qualified talent with
open roles, ongoing efforts around diversity across internal and
industry, and most recently, a consortium to address AI impact on
the workforce.
"Cisco is committed to fostering diversity and empowering
emerging leaders from various backgrounds as part of our purpose –
to power an inclusive future for all. We believe in leveraging
technology to drive inclusive innovation. We are grateful to
NPower, WWT and NightDragon for partnering with us to drive
meaningful change within our industry," said Gloria Goins, Chief Diversity Officer at
Cisco.
NightDragon supports its portfolio to build diverse teams
through partnerships with organizations like NextGen Cyber Talent
and invests in companies innovating in this sector, such as
ThriveDX. "At NightDragon, we believe that it takes a village to
solve critical industry challenges like closing the cyber talent
gap and increasing diversity across the sector. We look forward to
collaborating with Cisco, WWT and NPower to help evangelize and
drive change for this essential issue and help build a more
vibrant, diverse and successful cybersecurity industry," said
Dave DeWalt, CEO at NightDragon.
"Making a new world happen is the foundation of WWT's culture.
We are excited to join forces with Cisco, NightDragon and NPower to
create pathways for individuals from underserved communities and
Military Veterans to thrive in cybersecurity and build a stronger
and more inclusive future," said Matt
Horner, SVP Global Enterprise, Solutions and Architecture at
WWT.
As part of the collaboration, the organizations call on the
broader industry to join them in their commitments to advancing the
cyber workforce by :
- Providing opportunities for on-the-job paid internships or
apprenticeships
- Hiring NPower-trained learners for open positions
- Hosting job fairs and career days to expose qualified
candidates to open roles
- Creating mentorship programs to nurture and support the next
generation of leaders through the placement and achievement of
cyber positions
- Volunteering to support learners, including opportunities such
as virtual coaching, speed mentoring, workshops, roundtables, panel
discussions, mock interviewing, guest lecturing and more
- Contributing to talent development of up-and-coming learners
and those placed in positions
To learn more about NPower and their efforts to advance industry
talent, visit https://www.npower.org/.
About NPower
NPower is a national nonprofit that
provides free tech training, support services, and job placement
assistance to young adults, military-connected individuals, and
women from under-resourced communities. Since their founding in
2000, they've offered tech fundamentals and advanced career
training opportunities to over 10,000 students in 13 cities.
NPower's unique approach combines rigorous training, and
trauma-informed support services, addressing the academic, social,
and emotional needs of our students. Their strength is seeing
students of non-traditional backgrounds through pivotal life
transitions. Led by a team that reflects the diversity of their
students, the organization empowers students to drive change in
their own lives and communities. As NPower expands into 12 new
markets by 2030, they're ensuring they create a tech workforce that
mirrors the world around us. To learn more about NPower,
visit http://www.npower.org.
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide
technology leader that securely connects everything to make
anything possible. Our purpose is to power an inclusive future for
all by helping our customers reimagine their applications, power
hybrid work, secure their enterprise, transform their
infrastructure, and meet their sustainability goals. Discover more
on The Newsroom and follow us on X at @Cisco.
Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks
of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A
listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at
www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are
the property of their respective owners. The use of the word
partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and
any other company.
About NightDragon
NightDragon is an investment and
advisory firm focused on growth and late-stage investments within
the cybersecurity, safety, security and privacy industries. Its
platform and vast industry network provide unparalleled threat
insights, deal flow, market leverage and operating expertise to
drive portfolio company growth and increase shareholder value.
Founded by Dave DeWalt, the
NightDragon team has more than 25 years of operational and market
expertise leading technology companies such as Documentum, EMC,
Siebel Systems (Oracle), McAfee, Mandiant, Avast and FireEye. Read
more about NightDragon at www.nightdragon.com.
About World Wide Technology
Founded in 1990,
World Wide Technology (WWT), a global technology
solutions provider with $20 billion
in annual revenue, combines the power of strategy, execution and
partnership to accelerate digital transformational outcomes for
large public and private organizations around the world. Through
its Advanced Technology Center, a collaborative ecosystem of the
world's most advanced hardware and software solutions, WWT
helps customers and partners conceptualize, test and validate
innovative technology solutions for the best business outcomes and
then deploys them at scale through its global warehousing,
distribution and integration capabilities.
With over 10,000 team members and more than 55 locations
around the world, WWT's culture, built on a set of core values and
established leadership philosophies, has been recognized 12 years
in a row by Fortune and Great Place to Work® for its unique blend
of determination, innovation and leadership focus on diversity and
inclusion. With this culture at its foundation, WWT bridges the gap
between business and technology to make a new world happen for its
customers, partners and communities. Learn more at
https://www.wwt.com/make-a-new-world-happen.
CONTACT: Sarah Kuranda,
sarah@nightdragon.com
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SOURCE NightDragon