Cybersecurity Academy: training creates skills in high demand

17th June 2019

ALTEN is taking proactive measures to fill unmet worldwide demand for qualified cybersecurity professionals by training the company’s own engineers. Growing numbers of cyberattacks on businesses are fueling strong growth on the cybersecurity market.

Given the dangerous increase in threats, industrial companies are turning to specialized engineers to secure businesses of all kinds, from product design to commercialization. In short, all businesses are concerned and the demand for cybersecurity engineering services is exploding. And, because the phenomenon is relatively new, experienced engineers are few and far between and there are not yet enough degree programs in cybersecurity to keep up with booming worldwide demand.

“In France alone the number of attacks is growing by 50% every year. We are seeing double-digit growth on this market.” Pascal Frezza, Operations Manager.

ALTEN set up a Cybersecurity Academy to give its engineers the skills they will need to meet demand.
The Cybersecurity Academy offers four main training programs: network architect, integrator, analyst, and governance. The 400 hours (around three months) of training, created in partnership with ALTEN customer Airbus D&S and ALTEN supplier FITEC, are taught by subject matter experts like Stormshield for network security, for example. Participants can earn a certificate upon completion of the course.
“The training includes a solid theoretical foundation,” said Mr Frezza. “However, the practical side is also very intensive. Participants must analyze attack scenarios, complete cyber-training on the Airbus D&S’ CyberRange platform, and do role-playing activities in real-world cybersecurity situations.”

Short courses and longer programs

A cohort of fifteen participants completed the first session in late March 2019. Two weeks after completion, eleven of the fifteen people trained were already working on cybersecurity projects. The second cohort began training at the end of April and will complete the course in July. “We are gathering feedback from the first two sessions that we will use to update the course and make sure that it is keeping up with the latest developments in cybersecurity,” said Mr Frezza.

ALTEN is also creating a Cybersecurity Lab, where consultants can go and train on a virtual platform or find solutions to a specific need.

“We hope that the Cybersecurity Lab will make us more agile, especially for short-format training, so that we can meet immediate needs and provide longer training with the three-month courses.”

Who can sign up?

The Cybersecurity Academy admits engineers with solid network experience. Candidates are interviewed to ensure that they have the necessary technical prerequisites for the demanding training course.
Motivation and consistency with the candidate’s career plan are also factored in to admissions decisions.