BT Security made news in England last April when it said it would hire 900 new security personnel. SC Magazine reported that the move was “part of a major drive to protect consumers, businesses and governments from the growing threat of cybercrime.”

New Cybersecurity Training Initiative

BT Security personnel, along with new recruits and key suppliers, will now have the opportunity to pursue British security organization ISC2’s professional certifications during their cybersecurity training. These include the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and the Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) certifications.

Starting with a class of 80, ISC2 will support the development of official instructors within the BT Security Academy. It will also deliver training programs and the certification examinations to suit the emerging demand from the facility.

“As a major employer and service provider, we have a significant role to play in protecting the economy from growing cyberthreats,” said Rob Partridge, head of BT Security Academy, in a statement. “ISC2 certifications are well-recognized and communicate reassurance that the people who hold them have core knowledge and experience in the field. We are pleased to be offering this opportunity as part of our ambitious goal to help meet the need for more skilled cybersecurity. We are seeing desire from the companies and consumers we serve for reassurance and leadership in cybersecurity, which will be delivered through the talent we develop.”

Security Professionals in High Demand

According to the ISC2 Global Information Security Workforce Study, 44 percent of U.K. hiring managers will struggle to meet their current hiring needs, while 62 percent acknowledge that their organizations have too few information security professionals. One-third of the respondents further indicated that they would like to increase their organization’s security workforce by 15 percent or greater.

The study went on to forecast a global shortage of 1.5 million qualified information security professionals by 2020.

BT is hoping that its ability to incorporate certification training on the job will attract qualified professionals to the company. Through initiatives like this, BT kills two birds with one stone: Not only do they attract motivated personnel to the job, but they also help ensure that the achievements of that personnel will be acknowledged.