New York City's cybersecurity bootcamp partner is offering free introductory training courses to all American citizens.
Fullstack Cyber Bootcamp hopes that the initiative will encourage some of the 41 million Americans currently claiming state or federal unemployment benefits to forge a new career in cybersecurity.
As a result of lockdown measures introduced to slow the spread of COVID-19, over 30 million Americans have been left without work.
According to (ISC)², there were 500,000 open cybersecurity jobs nationally before COVID-19, with more than 29,000 open positions in New York City (CyberSeek).
The free training program was originally scheduled to become available in late 2020 to specifically support under-served New York City residents. However, Fullstack brought the launch forward to today and expanded the program nationwide to help people across the US recover from the economic impacts of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
"Cybersecurity is one of the fastest growing sectors in New York City," said James Patchett, president and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).
"Fullstack's free training courses will introduce New Yorkers to a field that provides good-paying jobs. As the city faces a long economic recovery, programs like this, which offer an opportunity to learn in-demand skills and a path to a new or better job, are key."
Fullstack's program gives Americans the chance to participate in nearly 40 hours of entry-level cybersecurity training courses free of charge.
Those who take advantage of the opportunity can take a self-paced Hacking 101 course online, complete a Linux Command Line for Beginners course, and get to take part in a live 3-hour practical hacking workshop online.
Those who wish to continue their education can enroll in the full Fullstack Cyber Bootcamp, where they can learn the skills necessary to become an employable cybersecurity professional in 17 weeks.
"Fullstack Cyber Bootcamp has already become a national leader in cybersecurity training since opening its first campus in New York City last year," said Nimit Maru, co-founder and co-CEO of Fullstack Academy.
"Our partnership with NYCEDC enables us to support the country's economic recovery, introducing Americans to new careers, while also filling the significant skills gap in the cybersecurity industry."