Microsoft expands cybersecurity training initiatives in Brazil

2023-06-20 16:45:05

Global demand for cybersecurity professionals has grown by an average of 35% over the past year. It is expected that by 2025 there will be more than 3.5 million job openings in this area;
Microsoft is focused on delivering cybersecurity training with the goal of creating inclusive learning environments through training programs and educational partnerships, which already have trained more than 400,000 people worldwide.
No brazil, a Microsoft works with academia, NGOs, the public sector and private companies to improve the country’s security and develop the necessary talent pool for a secure digital transformation.

São Paulo, June 2023 – Every second, 921 password attacks occur worldwide, representing an annual growth of 74%. Crimes like ransomware and phishing continue to wreak havoc on individuals, businesses and governments and have become a major threat to organizations around the world. According to the Microsoft Digital Defense Report, the cost of cyber incidents continues to rise, reaching $4.35 million on average.

As cybercriminals increase the number and sophistication of attacks, and organizations need to do more to protect their digital assets, the world faces a global crisis for cybersecurity professionals. The demand for people with these skills has grown, on average, by 35% over the last year, and the expectation is that by 2025 there will be more than 3.5 million job openings for professionals of this type, according to Cyber ​​Security Ventures. That’s a 350% increase over an eight-year period. In Brazil, according to data from (ISC), in 2022, there was a deficit of more than 300,000 positions in cybersecurity.

“The number and sophistication of cybersecurity attacks is increasing every day. It is critical that we invest in the cybersecurity workforce to ensure there are enough people with the necessary skills to protect the digital ecosystem. We are committed to generating learning channels for people, with a special emphasis on women, to boost the economy and improve opportunities for thousands of Brazilian men and women”, says Vanessa Pádua, Director of Cybersecurity at Microsoft for Latin America & the Caribbean.

In Brazil, the demand for cybersecurity professionals has increased by 26% in the last year, according to the (ISC) Cybersecurity Workforce Study 2022. There is a huge opportunity to create high-paying jobs in the country. Creating programs and improving training to meet this growing need is not only essential for the country’s digital transformation, but also represents an opportunity to generate quality jobs.

At the same time, there is a huge opportunity to close the gender gap as, according to research “Empowering Women to Work in Cybersecurity Is a Win-Win“, from the Boston Consulting Group, globally 75% of cybersecurity teams are made up of men, and only 25% are women. For this reason, one of Microsoft’s goals is to ensure that traditionally excluded populations – including women – have opportunities to enter the cybersecurity workforce. Leaving them out of this market is a waste of talent that will only undermine our ability to meet the country’s critical demand, reducing our ability to innovate.

Microsoft has redoubled its efforts in building security talent and provided training to more than 400,000 people worldwide. Globally, it expanded its Cybersecurity Skills initiative to new countries, including Brazil. Through this action, Microsoft awards grants to nonprofit organizations to help train people in cybersecurity skills. The initiative, which is present in 28 countries, seeks to develop the next generation of cybersecurity professionals to enable the country’s digital transformation.

In addition, LinkedIn offers free training through its learning platform, including courses such as “The Cybersecurity Threat Landscape” and “Cybersecurity Fundamentals,” and Microsoft Learn offers free security courses for students and professionals, with 47 learning paths and hundreds of hours of content. In addition, Microsoft is partnering with educational institutions to provide free curriculum and training for educators through its Microsoft Learn for Educators program, featuring courses such as Microsoft Security, Identity and Compliance Fundamentals, Microsoft Azure Security Technologies Certification, and more. Currently, more than 1,000 higher education institutions around the world have joined the program.

This year, Microsoft Brazil together with the Digital Innovation Movement (MID)an association that brings together the largest digital platforms operating in Brazil, launched a document providing practical advice and guidance to assist companies in creating an effective information security strategy. With the guide, readers have access to an immersion in the world of cybersecurity, walking through a large amount of information and tips that will help C-Level executives and other managers to understand the importance of the subject.

The company also launched a Microsoft Cyber ​​Exercise pilot project at Fatecs in Americana, in the interior of São Paulo, and São Caetano, in the Greater ABC region of São Paulo, and at the Federal Institute of Londrina. This is a project that offers a free training and practical course on cybersecurity for technical education students. The initiative begins in June online, and will offer practical attack and defense exercises that will form part of the training of these students.

“We want to contribute with initiatives that qualify and empower people and organizations so that they are prepared to act in a scenario with increasing digital threats, in volume, speed and sophistication. Our goal is to avoid possible damage to society, the economy, reputation and the operation of critical areas of the most diverse industries in our country”, comments Vanessa.

To help illustrate the cybersecurity skills gap, Microsoft is introducing this new dynamic table. For more details on the company’s global initiative to close the gender gap in the area, click here. In addition, in March of this year, Microsoft Brazil launched the new portal of Conecta+, which becomes the hub for all free training and retraining programs made available to the general public by the company, including initiatives carried out in partnership with other companies and the private sector. In this space, you can find Microsoft Reactor courses, exclusive training for women, courses offered by Escola do Trabalhador 4.0 in partnership with the Ministry of Labor and Employment, LinkedIn Learning trails and much more.

About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation in the era of the intelligent cloud and the intelligent edge. Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. The company has been in Brazil for 34 years and is one of the subsidiaries of Microsoft Corporation, founded in 1975, which is present in over 190 countries. From July 2021 to June 2022, the company invested more than US$ 15 million in donations and discounts for non-profit entities, impacting more than 2,000 institutions with software donations, discounts for purchases and support for training projects. With the launch of the Microsoft For Startups Founders Hub, 443 new startups were approved, totaling 703 supported startups, which together have consumed USD 11,898,488.00 of Azure cloud credits.

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