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LeaderQuest and Mile2 Partner to Tackle the IT Security Skills Gap
[April 03, 2014]

LeaderQuest and Mile2 Partner to Tackle the IT Security Skills Gap


(PR Web Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) (PRWEB) April 03, 2014 77% of businesses worldwide admit to suffering from a cyber-attack, according to a recent article published in InformationWeek(1.) The rise of cyber-attacks is rapidly escalating the need for more highly skilled, certified IT security professionals. A need that seems to be increasing faster than the time it takes an individual to develop the required skills to fill the expanding job market for cyber security – especially when it comes to positions in the federal government and contracting industry. According to recently published information released by Burning Glass Technologies(2,) 56% of those jobs require a CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), compared to only 34% of those outside of the government contracting industry who viewed it more as a "nice to have" .



Among the top 5 cities for cyber security jobs, cited by ClearanceJobs.com (3) in May 2013 , is Colorado Springs, which is home to 4 military installations, numerous major defense contractors and smaller defense, and IT companies that work with the military sector. Colorado Springs is also to home to one of LeaderQuest's IT training facilities which is strategically located to meet the growing needs for IT security in the local job market.

LeaderQuest Chief Operating Officer, Scott Daly, explains, "Part of the underlying issue that creates the skills gap is that both the certification requirements and job roles require a number of years of experience. CISSP, for example, requires that candidates have bare minimum of 4 years cumulative, paid, full-time work in at least 2 of the 10 domains of the (ISC)2. That requirement essentially eliminates recent college graduates due to a lack of work experience. It also, unfortunately, makes the traditional 4 year college or university programs a poor fit to address the need, which is where LeaderQuest and Mile2 come in. The certification programs that we offer only require 3 weeks or less in the classroom which makes it ideal for IT professionals or recently separated military veterans who have the right experience, but lack the certification requirement." LeaderQuest offers a multitude of IT certification courses and training solutions to a national audience through public training courses, custom and private training engagements and custom consulting solutions. The new partnership agreement with Mile2 complements its already expansive training catalog with high-demand, internationally recognized cyber security certifications.


"We are really excited to add this line up of security certification courses," stated Daly. "Given the rate of technological progress and the rise of IT security as one of the top business priorities, we believe that the job demands for security professionals will continue to grow." The list of Mile2 certifications include: CISSO - Certified Information Systems Security Officer CPTE - Certified Penetration Testing Engineer CPTC – Certified Penetration Testing Consultant CDRE – Certified Disaster Recovery Engineer CDFE – Certified Digital Forensics Examiner CNFE – Certified Network Forensics Examiner CSWAE – Certified Secure Web Applications Engineer CIHE – Certified Incident Handling Engineer CWSE – Certified Wireless Security Engineer CSS – Certified Security Sentinel CVA – Certified Vulnerability Assessor CSLO – Certified Security Leadership Officer CPEH – Certified Professional Ethical Hacker CISSM – Certified Information Systems Security Manager CISSA – Certified Information Systems Security Auditor CISSRM – Certified Information Systems Security Risk Manager CVME 5.5 – Certified Virtual Machine Engineer CISMS-LA – Certified Information Security Management Systems Lead Auditor CISMS-LI – Certified Information Security Management Systems Lead Implementer "LeaderQuest has a very strong reputation in the area for delivering quality training," commented Mile2 CEO, Ray Friedman. "We are looking forward to this strategic partnership and believe it will prove fruitful across the board – expanding training opportunities for Mile2 and LeaderQuest, as well as to meet the needs of businesses who are in immediate need of very qualified, certified individuals to fill the abundance of IT security positions." About LeaderQuest LeaderQuest bridges the gap between tomorrow's IT job skills and today's workforce through a unique blend of training, technologies, and services that align with the most sought after skill sets and IT management practices. With more than 12 years in the IT and professional training industry, LeaderQuest has developed an extensive range of results-oriented solutions to advance overall knowledge, competency and performance at both the individual and organizational levels. The company's team of nationally recognized technology trainers and IT business experts collaborate to deliver industry-leading training solutions that consistently rank in the top 5% amongst a client base that encompasses aspiring technologists, career changers, IT professionals, and organizational leaders across the country. http://www.leaderquestonline.com About Mile 2 Mile2 is a developer and provider of proprietary vendor neutral professional certifications for the cyber security industry. Mile2 administers its certification exams through the MACS (Mile2 Assessment and Certification System) system via Mile2.com. Mile2 also provides Information Assurance services that meet military, government, private sector and institutional specifications. Mile2 certification courses teach fundamental and advanced principles of cyber security and follow a course/certification track that leads to advanced hands-on skills training for penetration testing, disaster recovery, incident handling and network forensics. Mile2 certifications include the C)ISSO (Certified Information Systems Security Officer); C)PTE (Certified Penetration Testing Engineer); C)NFE (Certified Network Forensics Examiner); and C)SWAE (Certified Secure Web Application Engineer among others. They are available on the Web at http://www.mile2.com.

Media Contact: Clair Fall cfall(at)leaderquest(dot)net 303-832-4665 (1) http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks-and-breaches/many-businesses-fail-to-disclose-data-breaches/d/d-id/1127795 (2) http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/report-finds-dc-area-a-hotbed-for-cybersecurity-jobs/2014/03/08/1b72ff1e-a560-11e3-8466-d34c451760b9_story.html (3) http://news.clearancejobs.com/2013/05/23/top-5-cities-for-cyber-security-jobs/ Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/4/prweb11724461.htm (c) 2014 PRWEB.COM Newswire

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