Munich, Germany - November 20th, 2023 - The SANS Institute, the world's leading provider of cybersecurity training and certification, is teaming up with Allianz to create the Allianz Cyber Talent Academy 2023. This initiative was launched on November 13 and will help reduce the critical skills gap in cyber security. Under the patronage and leadership of Allianz, the program partners with multiple organisations, including the Siemens led African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI), Youth Enlightenment Empowerment and Self- and Sustainability (Yessi), Women in Cyber (WiCys), Charter of Trust and other non-profits.
Cybersecurity is fundamental to the peace and security of our society today; for our economy, our infrastructure and for every individual. The need for workers in this field is acute, and growing with a threat that increases by the day. It also represents an amazing career opportunity for beginners and career changers. To mount an effective defence cybersecurity needs fresh perspectives, creativity and tenacity that matches and exceeds the cyber criminals. Like the cyberthreat, the Cyber Talent Academy spans the world and provided participants with the first step the cyber career ladder. This groundbreaking program offers a route into a cybersecurity career without a prior IT background. Application starts now.
Applicants will be invited to complete the SANS Cyber Talent Enhanced Aptitude Assessment & Selection process, after which successful applicants will be invited to join the program. First, they will have the opportunity to participate in the SANS course SEC275 (Foundations: Computers, Technology, and Security). Afterwards, the acquired skills will be confirmed with the GIAC certification GFACT. The top ten graduates will be invited to participate in the SEC401 (Security Essentials - Network, Endpoint, and Cloud) course and graduate with the GIAC certification GSEC.
James Lyne, CTO at SANS Institute and responsible for the content of the training, explains: "With the Cyber Talent Academy and the other fantastic partners from the private sector, associations and non-profit organizations, we are filling the gaps for qualified cyber security professionals. In addition, we provide people who may not otherwise be in the spotlight with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pursue a career in cybersecurity. We welcome any and all applicants who identify with our mission and I personally look forward to meeting and teaching new cyber talents and personalities. Ultimately, we need people with different ideas and backgrounds to achieve the goal of advancing cyber security."
Bettina Dietsche, Allianz Group Chief People and Culture Officer (CPCO) commented: "At Allianz, we are committed to lifelong learning and to the development of our employees. This includes education on financial literacy as well as comprehensive cybersecurity. New technologies require new ways of thinking about cyber threats and cyber security. We need to ensure that our current and future people are at the forefront of these new developments to secure the future of our customers, people and society as a whole."
Dr. Ralf Schneider, Allianz SE I Senior Fellow Cybersecurity and Next-Generation IT adds: "The human element is perhaps the most important factor in cyber security. As a security community, we need to ensure more diversity so that we continue to have the necessary creativity to protect against cyber threats in the future. At the end of the day, all tools and all processes and campaigns on both sides are still driven by creative thinking."
Jonathan Reynolds, Education Taskforce lead at Charter of Trust adds: "Cybersecurity is critical to the future of our digital society. It is the people at the heart of our digital society that make it secure. Cybersecurity as a profession that offers individuals of all backgrounds the opportunity to do something meaningful, that truly makes a difference."
Find out more about the partners of the Cyber Talent Academy 2023 here: Allianz, Siemens, AGCCI, Metafinanz, Charter of Trust, Women in Cyber and Yeessi. Interested in joining, click here.
About the Allianz Cyber Talent Academy
The Cyber Talent Academy offers accelerated, high-quality training and GIAC certifications to effectively launch careers in cybersecurity. This free program empowers participants to pass industry-recognized certification exams and equips them with skills that make a difference in the field from day one. Learn more here.
About the SANS Institute
The SANS Institute was founded in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. SANS is the most trusted and largest provider of cybersecurity training and certification for professionals in government and commercial organizations worldwide. SANS' renowned instructors teach over 60 different courses in the classroom and virtually during live cybersecurity training events. They are also all available anytime via the OnDemand platform. GIAC, a subsidiary of the SANS Institute, validates credentials with more than 35 hands-on, technical certifications in cybersecurity. SANS Technology Institute, a regionally accredited, independent affiliate, offers master's degrees in cybersecurity. SANSSecurity Awareness, a division of the SANS Institute, provides organizations with a complete and comprehensive security awareness solution that enables them to easily and effectively manage their "human" cyber security risk. SANS provides a variety of free resources to the InfoSec community, including consensus projects, research reports and newsletters; it also operates the Internet Early Warning System, the Internet Storm Center. At the heart of SANS are the many security experts, representing diverse global organizations from corporations to universities, working together to help the entire information security community: https://www.sans.org