Cisco Canada together with STEM Fellowship, a not-for-profit that works towards diversity in STEM, this week announced the launch of the Cybersecurity Classroom Training Program (CCTP) for high school students, with the aim to address the growing need for cybersecurity awareness and education.
As part of the partnership, Cisco said it is making a $12 million in-kind investment which will help over 40,000 students across Canada gain practical digital skills and safety knowledge through the program by 2023. CCTP provides early exposure to the various tools, technologies, and career paths available in IT and digital industries.
Teachers across Canada will have free access to the program online, which includes instructional modules, labs, quizzes and more to facilitate discussions that integrate into their curriculum.
“We have a tremendous opportunity to better prepare young Canadians for a digital future in which they can participate safely and productively,” said Shannon Leininger, president of Cisco Canada, in a Nov. 23 press release. “Canada is facing a digital skills gap, and it’s critical that we find creative ways to spark students’ interest in cybersecurity with programs that appeal to them using real-world examples. The CCTP equips students with the building blocks for a future in IT and helps fuel Canada’s digital talent pipeline.”
The CCTP features seven modules that were adapted from Cisco’s Networking Academy courses, integrating the latest cybersecurity content into core subjects like math, business, English and social studies. The two organizations say the program will be able to engage over 2000 teachers across the country by 2023, enabling them to access resources, animated videos, and activities that provide relevant content to students. Some of these include:
- Digital Business: Recognizing the characteristics and operation of an attack on a digital business; learning the techniques to protect organizations from a cyberattack.
- Digital Art and Culture: A look at digital performance and eTicketing fraud; an analysis of pirating and torrents.
- Digital Health: Evaluating health and fitness information online to distinguish between evidence- and data-driven information versus forgery.
Teachers interested in the program can email cctp@stemfellowship.org to receive the resources they need to get started.