Mastercard funds training programs for women and POC at the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst
Dr. Atefeh Mashatan, founder and director of the Cybersecurity Research Lab (CRL), was a panellist at the Cybersecure Catalyst announcement event, disucussing how the cybersecurity sector is growing but faces talent shortages. Due to the rise in remote work, Mashatan mentioned businesses are putting very sensitive assets on networks for business functionality which is great, however these assets are very attractive targets for hackers.
Mastercard (external link) and Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst (external link) at Ryerson University have launched two training programs, funded by a C$1.25 million investment from Mastercard, designed to foster inclusion and diversity within the Canadian cybersecurity sector.
The Catalyst is a national leader in offering diversity-focused cybersecurity training programs, and delivers high-impact programming for women, new Canadians, displaced workers, and BIPOC professionals.
The first program, called Mastercard Emerging Leaders in Cyber Initiative (ELCI), is a program which supports the development of female-identifying executive leaders in the cybersecurity industry.
The increase of security breaches and cyber attacks has led to an increasing demand for cybersecurity professionals. According to data from Check Point Research, businesses witnessed 50 per cent more attacks per week in 2021 compared to 2020.
According to Mashatan, only about 20 to 30 per cent of critical cybersecurity jobs require extreme technical skills; the remaining roles require more business knowledge and skills.