Fortinet’s Academic Partner Program Trains the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Professionals

Businesses around the globe are in dire need of cybersecurity talent. With roughly 4 million vacant roles in the cybersecurity industry, public and private organizations must work together to find new, creative ways to address this skills gap, diversify the talent pool, and train the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

Making Cybersecurity Training and Career Opportunities Accessible to All

Fortinet has a long-standing commitment to making cybersecurity training and related career opportunities accessible to everyone, and we're making significant progress toward our goal of training 1 million individuals in cybersecurity by 2026. A critical component of this effort is our Academic Partner Program. Through this initiative, Fortinet works with more than 700 academic institutions across 100 countries and territories around the world to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive cybersecurity workforce. The program bridges the gap between learning and careers by offering students access to our Fortinet Network Security Expert (NSE) training and certification courses, hands-on experience with real-world cybersecurity scenarios and technologies that help prepare learners for internships or full-time roles in the industry. The program also provides free exam vouchers so students can take industry-recognized certification exams.

Our Academic Partner Program enables us to collaborate with higher education institutions and schools globally to support learners in becoming part of an elite group of skilled cybersecurity professionals. Fortinet works with schools in a variety of ways. Many of the schools we work with are taking unique approaches to cultivating the next generation of cybersecurity practitioners, several of which are highlighted below.

University of Ottawa, Canada

Several hundred students from the University of Ottawa have undergone Fortinet training courses over the past few years and achieved NSE certification. One of those students is now an instructor at the university, teaching current students using the knowledge and skills she learned through these training and certification opportunities. The university has also worked closely with Fortinet on other related initiatives, such as hosting a lab environment on campus featuring Fortinet products and solutions. These labs, which Fortinet has established in partnership with several higher education institutions, give students hands-on experience with real-world, best-in-class security technologies, ultimately equipping them with the skills they need to enter the workforce confidently and competently.

Virginia Tech, United States

Virginia Tech joined the Fortinet Academic Partner Program in 2023. In addition to having several groups of students achieve Fortinet certifications, the university has also started integrating Fortinet products and solutions into national security exercises and training that are run out of the university's National Security Institute, Intelligent Systems Division. The university is also working to integrate Fortinet offerings into state-specific cybersecurity training initiatives that they hold periodically for students.

Ecole 2600, France

Ecole 2600 launched a "Security Operations Center (SOC) in a Box" lab for its students as part of its collaboration with the Academic Partner Program. This hands-on lab was built with a donation of Fortinet technologies, many of which are units repurposed for reuse. This initiative supports cybersecurity education at the school and aligns with Fortinet's commitment to environmental sustainability by giving new life to our products. The university also trains its students regularly on real-world cybersecurity scenarios, focusing on red team activities, penetration testing, IoT vulnerabilities, and more to expose students to various common attack types.

Université Nice Côte d'Azur, France

The Université Nice Côte d'Azur offers students unique opportunities to learn about cybersecurity. One instructor recently delivered a two-hour workshop to undergraduate students, aiming to educate them about the state of cybersecurity and discuss specific career opportunities available in the field, such as SOC analyst roles.

Another workshop was recently held at Polytech Nice Sophia, which is part of the Université Nice Côte d'Azur, covering topics such as computer science, engineering, embedded electronic systems, and cybersecurity-more than 75 students from various master's degree programs attended. The institution is also planning to create a local hardware lab on campus so that students can gain hands-on experience with Fortinet technologies.

Providing Students with Pathways to Cybersecurity Careers

Ensuring that students have access to cybersecurity training and certification opportunities is vital, particularly as the industry skills gap widens. By partnering with academic institutions around the globe, Fortinet offers learners a pathway to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a career in cybersecurity.

Find out more about how Fortinet'sTraining Institute programs-including the NSE Certification program, Academic Partner program, and Education Outreach program-are helping to solve the cyber skills gap and prepare the cybersecurity workforce of tomorrow.

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