Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) and the International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals (ICMCP) are excited to team up with Target to help expand access to the National Cyber League (NCL) virtual competition and training program for 500 women and BIPOC members. The goal of the partnership is to introduce cybersecurity and technology careers to more underrepresented students.
“By offering opportunities for our WiCyS and ICMCP student members to explore the cybersecurity lessons in the NCL games, it’s opening up gateways for more diverse populations to hone in on the skills needed for success,” said Lynn Dohm, executive director of WiCyS. “We are so grateful to Target for supporting our members so they can further prepare for cybersecurity and technology careers.”
Last Fall, 190 WiCyS and ICMCP members aspiring to break into the cybersecurity field competed in the online NCL competition – a training program where participants tackle simulated, real-world scenarios to improve upon and demonstrate their cybersecurity skills. Players encounter various educational challenges including cryptography, log analysis, password cracking, web application exploitation, and open source intelligence.
Upon completion, all participants receive a scouting report from the NCL that is a valuable addition to their resumes when entering the cyber workforce. Five scholarships to attend the WiCyS 2021 conference in October are also being awarded to the top student players.
“Demand for cyber talent has never been higher, and teams of different backgrounds are critical in our ever-evolving industry. We’re grateful to partner with other organizations committed to building a stronger, more diverse pipeline of cyber professionals,” said Rich Agostino, SVP, chief information security officer at Target. “This first-time collaboration between the WiCyS and ICMCP will help us collectively increase our impact and reach.”
More than 12,500 students from over 620 U.S. high schools, colleges and universities participate annually in NCL competitions. NCL is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2011 by cybersecurity-focused academics from several public agencies.
The Spring Season of the NCL competition begins February 15 and runs through May. The WiCyS/ICMCP applications are being accepted starting January 25. For more information and to apply for sponsorship, made possible by Target, visit https://www.wicys.org/benefits/targets-ncl-training-program/.
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Lynn Dohm (2021, January 26). Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS), International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals, and Target collaborate to increase diversity in tech. Cision PRWeb. http://www.prweb.com/releases/women_in_cybersecurity_wicys_international_consortium_of_minority_cybersecurity_professionals_and_target_collaborate_to_increase_diversity_in_tech/prweb17409192.htm