SANS Institute Brings Cybersecurity Training Academy To Greater Chicago: Seeks To Create New Talent In Local InfoSec Pipeline

CHICAGO, Feb. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the cybersecurity market continues to grow and it becomes an issue of paramount importance, employers are intently seeking to hire professionals with aptitude and skills to fill key positions. SANS Institute has thus launched the SANS Cyber Workforce Academy - Chicago, a 100% scholarship-based, immersive training program designed to increase the talent pipeline in the greater Chicago area.

This accelerated program is a fast-track into the cybersecurity field for veterans and women in the region. The SANS Cyber Workforce Academy - Chicago is a three-to-four month accelerated cybersecurity training program that offers students advanced technical SANS training and industry-recognized GIAC certifications. Students will learn the hands-on cyber defense, continuous monitoring, security operations and incident handling skills sought by Chicago-area employers. The Academy will aim to recruit veterans and women, building on the success of the SANS VetSuccess and Women's Immersion Academies. Since 2015, these programs have provided scholarship-based cybersecurity training to more than 225 participants.

"One of the greatest threats to information security is the dramatic shortage of cyber talent in the U.S. and around the globe," explained Max Shuftan, SANS CyberTalent Program Director. "We are excited about the Cyber Workforce Academy - Chicago as this unique program offers veterans and women a way to break into the cybersecurity field and realize their potential in a fast-paced and high-demand industry. The Academy also helps local employers by increasing the number of cybersecurity professionals available to fill key positions."

Accepted participants will receive industry-leading curriculum and hands-on learning taught by expert SANS faculty. Graduates earn GIAC certifications – recognized by employers around the world.  SANS, using its professional and corporate network developed over the past 25 years, will coordinate introductions between program graduates and leading employers in the greater Chicago area.  

Applicants must qualify by demonstrating aptitude and foundational skills using the SANS CyberTalent Enhanced (CTE) Assessment and participate in interviews with SANS staff. Interested candidates may visit www.sans.org/cyberworkforce-chicago to view eligibility requirements.

Applications for the Cyber Workforce Academy – Chicago are now open and will close on March 30, 2018. Candidates will be selected by April 13, 2018 and courses begin May 1^st, with graduation estimated in late July 2018. For more information about or to apply for the SANS Cyber Workforce Academy – Chicago, please visit: www.sans.org/cyberworkforce-chicago.

About SANS Institute
The SANS Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. SANS is the most trusted and, by far, the largest provider of cybersecurity training and certification to professionals at governments and commercial institutions world-wide. Renowned SANS instructors teach over 50 different courses at more than 200 live cybersecurity training events as well as online. GIAC, an affiliate of the SANS Institute, validates employee qualifications via 30 hands-on, technical certifications in information security. The SANS Technology Institute, a regionally accredited independent subsidiary, offers master's degrees in cyber security. SANS offers a myriad of free resources to the InfoSec community including consensus projects, research reports, and newsletters; it also operates the Internet's early warning system--the Internet Storm Center. At the heart of SANS are the many security practitioners, representing varied global organizations from corporations to universities, working together to help the entire information security community. (www.SANS.org)

SOURCE SANS Institute

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