The Institute of Information Security Professionals is partnering with the course’s developer Qufaro to give free student membership to the top graduates of the online course.
Qufaro and its lecturers, trainers and students will also benefit by becoming part of the IISP Academic Partnership Programme.
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.
Established in 2006, the IISP has more than 8,000 members employed in one of the fastest-growing professions in the country.
General manager Amanda Finch 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.”
Qufaro is a not for profit organisation created by IT companies and The National Museum of Computing and based at Bletchley Park. It is to be part of the IISP University Partner Programme which, said Qufaro chief executive Budgie Dhanda, will integrate Qufaro at the heart of the nation’s cyber-security networking.
“IISP’s recognition of the impact that Qufaro can make in motivating the coming generation to take up cyber-security careers is very encouraging,” he added.
“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.
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 hopes to open the college in 2019, subject to the Department for Education timetable and approvals.
