KnowBe4 partners with the Center for Cyber Safety and Education to help further global diversity and education in cybersecurity
KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, today announced it has partnered with the Center for Cyber Safety and Education to launch the KnowBe4 Women of Colour in Cybersecurity (South Africa) Scholarship.
The recipient of this award will receive a 110,000 ZAR scholarship on behalf of KnowBe4 as well as an (ISC)2 certification education package. This is a one-time award and students may reapply each year in the future to be considered for another scholarship. Applicants will be scored in three categories: passion, merit and financial need.
This scholarship aims to assist in diversifying the cybersecurity workforce in South Africa among women. According to the SANS Institute, as of 2021, women make up only nine percent of cybersecurity professionals on the continent of Africa. Additionally, as of last year, South Africa alone hit a record high of a 35.3% unemployment rate as reported by Reuters. More alarmingly, that statistic broken down reveals the unemployment rate among women in South Africa is nearly 38% per Statista and the unemployment rate among black women and women of colour is at 41% and 29.1%, respectively, according to a recent article from Mail and Guardian.
"This new scholarship is part of a broader effort by KnowBe4 to drive opportunities that help to create more diversity throughout the cybersecurity workforce in South Africa and beyond,” said Anna Collard, SVP of content strategy & evangelist, KnowBe4 Africa. “We are grateful for our partnership with the Center for Cyber Safety and Education to provide this scholarship and are looking forward to selecting a very deserving recipient.”
The application period opens on June 1, 2022 and closes on September 19, 2022. For more information on and to apply for the KnowBe4 Women of Colour in Cybersecurity (South Africa) Scholarship administered by the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, visit https://www.iamcybersafe.org/s/knowbe4-women-of-colour-south-africa.
About KnowBe4
KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, is used by more than 50,000 organisations around the globe. Founded by IT and data security specialist Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 helps organisations address the human element of security by raising awareness about ransomware, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to awareness training on security. Kevin Mitnick, an internationally recognised cybersecurity specialist and KnowBe4's Chief Hacking Officer, helped design the KnowBe4 training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics. Tens of thousands of organisations rely on KnowBe4 to mobilise their end users as the last line of defence.
About the Center for Cyber Safety and Education
The Center for Cyber Safety and Education (Center) is a non-profit charitable trust of (ISC)2 committed to making the cyber world a safer place for everyone. The Center works to ensure that people worldwide have a positive and safe experience online through award-winning educational programs, scholarships, and research. Visit www.IAmCyberSafe.org to learn more.