Networking technology giant Cisco says it has set aside $10 million fund to tackle the growing shortage in the global cybersecurity talent pool.

The U.S. technology says it will invest the fund in a scholarship program to “increase the pool of available talent with critical cybersecurity proficiency”

[quote font=”georgia” font_size=”22″ font_style=”italic” align=”left” arrow=”yes”]According to Jeanne Beliveau-Dunn, vice president and general manager, Cisco Services, “cybersecurity is essential to digital success. Many CEOs across the globe tell us their ability to innovate is hampered by their security concerns in the digital world. This creates a big future demand for skill sets that don’t exist at scale today.”[/quote]This initiative is to help close the security skills gap and address the shortage of  two million cybersecurity professionals which research predicts will happen by 2019, Cisco says.

”Cisco will offer training, mentoring and certification that align with the Security Operations Center Analyst industry job role as well as deliver the program in partnership with key Cisco Authorized Learning Partners”, according to the tech company.

This training is designed to address the critical skills deficit, providing on-the-job readiness needed to meet current and future challenges of network security, the company said.

On its security portfolio update, Cisco  says it is introducing a new Cyber Ops Certification to its portfolio of security certifications and revising its  Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Security Certification.

The CCIE Security revision addresses new expert-level skills and education needed to prepare security personnel for evolving technologies and security threats.

The revision includes assessments on the latest security technologies, including Advanced Threat Protection, Advanced Malware Protection, Next-Generation IPS, Virtualization, Automation and Information Exchange.

It also includes a new assessment approach focused on ensuring that candidates demonstrate knowledge and skills with evolving technologies, such as Network Programmability, Cloud and IoT.

According to Jeanne Beliveau-Dunn, vice president and general manager, Cisco Services, “cybersecurity is essential to digital success. Many CEOs across the globe tell us their ability to innovate is hampered by their security concerns in the digital world. This creates a big future demand for skill sets that don’t exist at scale today.”

He says the scholarship programme was developed to help jump-start the development of new talents.

“This includes the opportunity to help diversify the IT security industry by reaching people around the world including veterans, women and those early in their careers, to inspire them to enter the Cybersecurity profession. This is just a start to help us educate, train and reskill the job force to become the security IT professionals needed to help address this vast talent shortage”, according to Cisco.