EC-Council today announced a worldwide USD 3.5 million scholarship fund to help train up qualified candidates for entry-level cybersecurity jobs as part of a workforce development program to address the critical cybersecurity workforce gap. The CCT Scholarship for Cybersecurity Career Starters initiative will provide a full tuition certification scholarship for high school students, university students, and working professionals-whether presently in a technical career track or changing paths to become fully accredited EC-Council Certified Cybersecurity Technicians. The worldwide scholarship will help infuse a trained cyber-literate and solution-focused workforce into organizations globally.

Even as big technology companies lay off thousands of employees, strong demand for cybersecurity professionals is on the rise. CCTs are multi-domain cybersecurity professionals trained in all 4 domains of cybersecurity; network defense, ethical hacking, incident handling and digital forensics, and are qualified to take on many entry level cybersecurity jobs in business, government, and other organizations.

“In the United States alone, there are 700,000 open cyber jobs, according to the government’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the situation is worse in Asia,” said Jay Bavisi, EC-Council CEO and President. “Meanwhile, new technologies like cloud-computing, AI and robotics enable new attack vectors. The situation is dire, and the clock is ticking. As the inventor of the Certified Ethical Hacker standard and the leading provider of online cyber education and certification, we feel a duty to help.”

The Certified Cybersecurity Technician program equips aspiring cybersecurity professionals with the skills they need to pursue careers such as cybersecurity specialists, consultants, network engineers, IT administrators. It covers the fundamentals of information security, network security, computer forensics, risk management, incident handling, and industry best practices.

“The CCT program is a practical, immersive program, with students spending 50 per cent of their time in 85 different labs,” said Steve Graham, EC-Council Senior Vice President and Head of Product and Security Strategy. “CCT is delivered on a live Cyber Range utilizing live targets and real attack systems, letting students develop not just knowledge but actual skill. This method of teaching is critical to turning out thoughtful, prepared, ready cybersecurity professionals.”

Students enrolled in the CCT program will receive the full official curriculum, online courseware covering 22 immersive modules. This includes 200 hours of video-based learning, 85 hands-on labs, capture-the-flag (CTF) exercises, 2,400 pages of content including 900 pages of lab guides, and a certification exam voucher. CCT normally retails for USD 999. Scholarship recipients will have their full tuition costs covered and will only be financially responsible for a USD 199 examination proctoring and technology fee. The examination to receive the certification is done online and proctored live.

EC-Council is currently accepting applications globally, and while there are no prerequisites to apply for the C|CT program, deserving scholarship applicants will be selected based on their career goals and potential for success in the field. While the scholarship will run for a year and will end by 1st March 2024, but it will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, due to limited seats. Interested participants can apply by filling out the form on this page.

EC-Council invented the Certified Ethical Hacker. Founded in 2001 in response to 9/11, EC-Council’s mission is to provide the training and certifications apprentice and experienced cybersecurity professionals need to keep corporations, government agencies and others who employ them safe from attack.

Best known for its Certified Ethical Hacker program, EC-Council today offers 200 different trainings, certificates, and degrees in everything from Computer Forensic Investigation and Security Analysis to Threat Intelligence and Information Security. An ISO/IEC 17024 Accredited Organization recognized under the US Defense Department Directive 8140/8570 and many other authoritative cybersecurity bodies worldwide, the company has certified 10,000 professionals across the globe. Trusted by seven of the Fortune 10, half of the Fortune 100, and the intelligence communities of 140 nations, the EC-Council is the gold standard in cybersecurity education and certification.

A truly global organization with a driving belief in bringing diversity, equity and inclusion to the modern cybersecurity workforce, EC-Council maintains 11 offices in the US, the UK, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. The company can be reached online at www.eccouncil.org.