In October 2014, Symantec released its FY14 Corporate Responsibility (CR) Report reflecting our deep commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, reducing our environmental impact, and investing in positive social impact around the globe. Over the next month, we will share a few CR program highlights. Today we take a look at our signature program, the Symantec Cybersecurity Career Connection (SC3).
If you speak with hiring managers at many mid-to-large sized organizations, they will tell you that cybersecurity jobs are some of the most difficult positions to fill. According to a recent cybersecurity report it is estimated that in 2014 there were one million unfilled cybersecurity jobs globally. 1 And the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the information security analyst field to grow by 37 percent by 2022, which is much faster than the average job growth rate.
In June 2014 Symantec introduced the Symantec Cybersecurity Career Connection (SC3), an innovative program designed to address this epidemic by attracting, educating, and training the next generation of cybersecurity employees.
Only 11 more weeks to go before these budding cybersecurity professionals start their internships!
Teaming up to close the gap
Standing alongside Secretary Hillary Clinton at the 2014 Clinton Global Initiative America meeting, Symantec launched SC3 to help close the hiring gap in cybersecurity while also improving the career outlook for underserved youth (ages 18 to 29). This one-year program debuted its first round of pilots in September in New York, Baltimore, and San Francisco with just under 50 students, working with leading educational and workforce development non-profits Year Up and NPower. The students are currently engaged in a mix of classroom education and soft skills development for the first six months of the program, which will be followed by a cybersecurity internship with some of America’s leading employers including Symantec for the second six months of the program.
According to Erika Lange, Director, IT Intern Program, Symantec, “Cybersecurity is still a reasonably young profession and one in which there isn’t a structured feeder system yet. As the needs for these careers are becoming more mainstream, it’s important for security leaders to identify creative ways to recruit talent into these roles.”
In Lange’s role she is responsible for Symantec’s IT recruitment strategy, including collegiate and entry-level hires. She has committed to hiring at least two SC3 pilot participants as interns, and is excited about the potential for future SC3 graduates to have successful careers with Symantec.
“Throughout my career at Symantec, we’ve always had an unwavering commitment to corporate responsibility. While many of our programs are purely philanthropic, SC3 is a unique mix that leverages our corporate assets and expertise to provide business opportunities, while addressing social needs. I believe this program has the opportunity to make an important impact by providing value to both the individual participants and the companies they are working with,” said Lange.
Inspiring a career in cybersecurity
Today 16 percent of young adults ages 18 to 29 in the United States are unemployed, more than double the national rate, with people of color and women underrepresented in the cybersecurity profession.
While certain cybersecurity roles require specialized degrees and deep expertise, it is estimated that 60,000 open cybersecurity jobs could be filled by individuals without a college degree. These are roles that SC3 is focused on. These positions are not only abundant in today’s economy, but they are critical to protecting corporate infrastructure around the world.
Ashley, Patrick, and Nicholas are students currently enrolled in SC3’s first pilots. Each of the three individuals were working in other roles when they learned about SC3.
“I was contracted to Bank of America as a Refresh Technician. I planned to go down the networking route, and in a few years move into security. This program was the perfect opportunity for me and couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Patrick.
For Ashley, her interested in cybersecurity arose after she had an experience with identity theft. While she was fortunate to protect herself from further damage, the event piqued her interest in protection, vulnerabilities, and solutions.
“Cybersecurity is interesting because it relies on curiosity. While I thought it began with the technology, I was mistaken. Curiosity is the fuel that helps us understand where vulnerabilities are, and what solutions exist. After I graduate, I aspire to teach individuals and business owners about security awareness, and how to protect themselves from the dangers that lurk,” said Ashley.
Nicolas, one of the participants from Baltimore, believes that the hands-on experience of SC3 is what makes the program stand out.
“Before I started this program, I saw many promotions for cybersecurity education however most of it was online training, whereas I wanted a hands-on approach to learning,” said Nicolas. “There are many interesting aspects about this promising career. Much of the course content so far is about authorized users and authorized access as well as mapping networks and mitigating risk solutions—they are all fascinating concepts. I am so thankful for Symantec and YearUp for extending this unique opportunity.”
Protecting your information is a corporate responsibility
Our corporate responsibility platform is organized into three pillars: Our People, Your Information, and The World. In addition to SC3, Symantec launched the Victims of Internet Crimes Empowered (VOICE) website in April 2014 which provides cybercrime information, such as videos and guides on preventing and recovering from Internet-related crimes, and directly links victims to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to file complaints of malicious Internet activity. Symantec also supports initiatives such as Cybercrime Prosecutor Training with UCLA and works with and trains law enforcement on how to investigate and successfully prosecute cybercrimes.
“The National Intelligence Estimate describes cyber threats as the top U.S. national security challenge. It is our hope that with SC3 and our other corporate responsibility initiatives, we are recruiting and training a base of talented professionals that will help companies around the globe tackle these threats,” said Marian Merritt, Director of Cyber Education and Online Safety Programs, Symantec. “Since launching the program, we’ve seen a great outpouring of support from other companies, as well as deep interest from student candidates. It’s been an absolute inspiration.”
For more information on SC3 visit: http://www.symantec.com/corporate_responsibility/topic.jsp?id=cyber_career_connection
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