NORFOLK, Neb. – A leader in global digital education will partner with Northeast Community College this year to offer a cybersecurity bootcamp. Cybint, the software-as-a-service (SaaS) arm of ThriveDX, a global digital education giant formerly known as HackerU, will offer the bootcamp through the College’s Workforce Development Division.
Northeast, which has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Two-Year Education (CAE2Y) by the U.S. National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security, will host Cybint’s comprehensive cybersecurity bootcamp courses to prepare students, adult learners and alumni for a successful career in the field.
A recent survey indicates while cyberattacks are on the rise, a significant portion of the online public is not always up to date on good cybersecurity practices, such as switching passwords for different accounts or using multi-factor authentication.
Roy Zur, founder and CEO of Cybint, said the lack of cyber vigilance among the general population puts the pressure on companies to bolster their cybersecurity hiring efforts, but that is no easy task due to the major talent gap in the labor market. Forced to compete harder for prospective hires, he said, businesses are left vulnerable as their own cybersecurity teams are over-extended and burned out.
“Cybint is working to be part of the solution, bringing a plethora of U.S. colleges and educational bodies together under the Joint Cohort banner to launch its cybersecurity bootcamp starting in February,” Zur said. “As a CAE2Y committed to the highest standards in its information security curriculum, Northeast Community College joins the ranks of the company’s partners in adding Cybint’s bootcamp to its educational offering in a bid to arm its students with the skills they need to succeed in an entry-level cybersecurity position. With this collaboration, CAE2Y will help to close the cybersecurity talent gap in Nebraska, estimated at over 3,500 open jobs.”
Cybint’s program is inspired by the short-track training programs the Israeli military uses to prepare its own cyber experts. With little prior tech experience required, the course introduces students to information technology fundamentals before delving into the key cybersecurity concepts, tools, and skills. The course is heavily geared toward hands-on learning via interactive labs and exercises built by experienced cybersecurity experts to introduce learners to real-life tasks on the job. Since 2014, Cybint has trained over 10,000 individuals across four continents.
“We are thrilled to see the soaring interest in cybersecurity among educational bodies,” Zur said. “Colleges and universities want to give students what they need to thrive in a digitized world; and cybersecurity as a field is set to stay in high demand for years to come. Bearing the seal of approval from NSA, one of the top cyber forces in the world, Northeast Community College is just the right partner for Cybint as we help learners around the world to future-proof their careers.”
“Northeast Community College is strongly committed to training qualified professionals capable of facing off with cyber adversaries from day one on the job,” said Cyndi Hanson, dean of Workforce Development at Northeast. “Cybint’s mission is strongly aligned with ours in this respect, as they focus on rigorous hands-on training and real-life scenarios. We are excited to be kicking off with this partnership.”
Enrollment for Cybersecurity Bootcamp is now open with training beginning Feb. 7. The six-month program is all online. Class will meet virtually two days per week for four hours each day; the rest of the program will allow participants to learn on their own time and schedule.
For more information and to register for the Cybersecurity Bootcamp, visit northeast.edu/classes/cyberbootcamp.
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