Maryland helps fund SANS cyber training center
The cybersecurity certification firm SANS Institute on Tuesday announced it’s opened a new training academy in Maryland with support from the state government.
The center, which aims to augment a cybersecurity sector that has as many as 700,000 unfilled positions in the U.S., will allow Maryland residents with or without cybersecurity expertise to gain new certifications within months. Funded in part by EARN Maryland, a state Labor Department workforce program, the program is prioritizing enrollment for military veterans, women, unemployed people and racial minorities, according to the announcement.
The program is set to run over the next two years. Maryland Secretary of Labor Tiffany Robinson said it’s already enrolled some students who are now earning “industry-recognized certifications that will help Maryland employers remain competitive in today’s marketplace.”
The website lists GIAC Cloud Security Essentials and GIAC Cloud Penetration Tester as two included certifications. The program offers two tracks: reskilling — training for those already working in cybersecurity — and upskilling — training for people seeking to break into the field. The self-paced study program includes support from technical mentors, facilitating “lifelong connections” with students.
The labor market data firm Emsi noted that February marked the largest spike in cybersecurity job listings in a decade. The firm counted more than 77,000 openings, up 74% from the year prior.
