#National News

Elizabeth Sloane looks to expand employment opportunities in Gambia with the upskilling of cyber security professionals 

Oct 17, 2022, 11:02 AM

The Gambia - Elizabeth Sloane Institute of Technology (ESIT) has gained board approval to provide Cybersecurity Education and Employment Opportunities with the up skilling of ICT professionals through a US $14.6M grant program. This marks the largest ever investment to date in cybersecurity education in Africa.

The board approval is a great sign of change to come at a time needed for certified ICT Professionals, especially in the African Continent. 

“It is critical to support the upskilling of ICT professionals on the Continent, mainly because we are feeling the negative effects of the skill gap as we support our clients on the continent,” said Melanie Wynter, the Managing Director of Elizabeth Sloane. 

Last year, Cybersecurity Ventures predicted that cybercrime would cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2023. In Africa, $4 billion is lost annually to cybercrime, according to Interpol’s Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report. Additionally, per the report, 90% of businesses on the continent do not have proper cybersecurity protocols. 

The grant program offers applicants the opportunity to join the community of Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certificate holders from around the world and to study at Elizabeth Sloane Institute of Technology (ESIT), a premier online higher education institution designed for self-paced technology higher education. 

Grants will be in the form of The Kusi P. Adu-Amankwah “Lex Stella” Award, the Lauryn C. Poyser Award, the Upskill Africa Award, and the C. Courtney Jackson Award.  These awards will significantly subsidise the cost of ICT professional certificates and training.  

Education is the key to fighting against cyber threats, and ESIT has positioned itself as an authority where ICT Professionals in Africa can receive the most current training and highest professional certifications. 

ESIT seeks partnerships in distributing these grants and welcomes any support as we position the continent as a source for highly skilled remote ICT professionals. We can be reached at info@esitedu.com.

This first-of-its-kind cybersecurity upskilling program for English-speaking Africa and the Caribbean aims to upskill ICT professionals through grants totaling US$14.6 million.