The Institute of Information Security Professionals (IISP) is partnering with Qufaro at Bletchley Park to give free student membership to the top graduates of the online CyberEPQ course.
Students embarking on cyber-security careers will thereby have access to the focal point for the information security profession in the UK. Qufaro and its lecturers, trainers and students will also benefit by becoming part of the IISP Academic Partnership Programme.
Established in 2006, the IISP has more than 8,000 members employed in one of the fastest-growing professions in the country. As members, their career prospects will be immediately enhanced by being part of the UK’s leading accreditation body dedicated to raising standards of professionalism in information security and providing a network of support and guidance for individual development.
Amanda Finch, general manager at the IISP, said, “Demand for cyber-security experts is accelerating year-on-year, so we are keen to encourage initiatives, such as Qufaro’s, that will make a significant impact on the skills gap by giving students a kick-start for their professional careers along with access to valuable resources, knowledge sharing and networking opportunities.
“Membership of the IISP will give students from Qufaro an early opportunity to become directly connected with the wider profession,” said Steve Furnell, IISP Fellow and Board Member with responsibility for Academic Partnerships and also Professor of IT Security at the University of Plymouth. “They will be joining an extensive community ranging from other students at our partner universities, through to established security professionals and our various corporate partners.”
Budgie Dhanda, CEO of Qufaro, said, “IISP’s recognition of the impact that Qufaro can make in motivating the coming generation to take up cyber-security careers is very encouraging. We are also looking forward to playing our part in the IISP University Partner Programme which will integrate Qufaro at the heart of the nation’s cyber-security networking.
“Momentum in support of Qufaro is gathering pace as the cyber-security sector realises that what we are already delivering and that with support we can produce a world-class cyber security college set in an ecosystem of cyber companies on historic Bletchley Park.”
In October, Deloitte agreed to fund the fees of hundreds of students who complete the new 2017 online CyberEPQ. Enrolment is now closed for this year, but will open again next autumn when even more enrolments are expected.
The CyberEPQ is the first qualification to emerge from the Qufaro initiative, launched one year ago. A National College of Cyber Security is planned and the next stage in its development awaits the government’s delayed free school announcement. Qufaro has an aspiration to open the College in 2019, subject to the Department for Education timetable and approvals.
