Fortinet, a global leader in broad, integrated and automated cybersecurity solutions, has announced its first Fortinet Network Security Academy (FNSA) in South Africa, with Think Tank, a private higher learning organisation providing Information Technology solutions, training, recruitment and professional services.
This unique programme aims to provide industry-recognised training and certification in cybersecurity in order to better prepare youth people for a career.
With this programme, Think Tank has already placed 73 unemployed youths in relevant IT positions out of 75.
In addition, Think Thank also helped in implementing the FNSA programme within an ICT Academy in Braam Park, Johannesburg, thanks to its partnership with NGO Afrika Tikkun, an organisation providing education, health and social services to young people and their families through centres of excellence in South African townships.
“As a growing number of companies finds that Fortinet uniquely meets local security needs, we see increasing demand for certified Fortinet specialists. We strategically aligned with Fortinet across solutions, consulting and training, and this has proved to be a good decision,” said Think Tank Managing Director, Tebogo Moleta.
Think Tank now has access to FortiManager, FortiAnalyser and FortiSIEM as a standard part of the FNSA offering and is gearing up to expand the programme this year in talks with a number of local universities on introducing the FNSA as part of their curricula.
“Organisations in South Africa are battling to close the significant skills gap between cybersecurity talent required for the business and its actual market availability,” said Doros Hadjizenonos, Regional Sales Director at Fortinet. “Our partnership with Think Tank is a step towards helping close the skills gap in the network security field.”
The FNSA was created to address the international shortage of cybersecurity experts and to build a workforce skilled in all aspects of Fortinet’s end-to-end network security fabric.
Participants are trained in a lab environment by experienced instructors and are able to undergo NSE four through to eight training. The academy brings the training and certification opportunities to help build a workforce recognised in the industry among an elite group of security professionals who are skilled in all aspects of Fortinet’s network security platform.
