What the Cybersecurity Industry Means for New Brunswickers
By 2021, the cost of global cybercrime will reach $6-trillion, while the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs will reach 3.5 million, according to Cybersecurity Ventures.
The cybersecurity industry isn’t going anywhere; it’s a future-proofed career path essential to the workings of every company and government on the planet and increasingly important for us all as individuals.
Through CyberNB, a special operating agency of Opportunities NB (ONB), New Brunswick is supporting the development of a world-class cybersecurity talent pipeline that will help fill many of those 3.5 million jobs; high-paying careers with real longevity right here in New Brunswick.
New Brunswick Is Attracting World-Class Companies
Siemens, a multinational technology leader, just announced that Fredericton will be home to their new Siemens Cybersecurity Centre. This new centre will support training and education in research & development, engineering, and security analysis, creating up to 25 high-skill, high-paying jobs.
In Mid-May, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and ONB announced that CNL has chosen Fredericton as the location for its National Innovation Centre. That centre will significantly enhance the organization’s cybersecurity R&D capabilities and will create 24 new high-skill jobs over the next five years.
Siemens and CNL could have selected any number of regions for their new centres; they both recognized what is happening here and chose New Brunswick for growth and job creation.
“New Brunswick has become an epicentre for cybersecurity and that means tremendous job opportunities for our youth,” says Stephen Lund, CEO of ONB.
Bringing Cybersecurity to New Brunswick Education
Working with our partners at the Departments of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) and Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour (PETL), CyberNB is committed to ensuring that New Brunswick produces the most digitally literate human resources in Canada. To address this goal, the development of a student digital literacy strategy is well underway, and cybersecurity is a large part of it. Unlike many workforce development and training plans, our CyberSmart strategy places significant focus on all levels of education, including K-12.
This includes exciting programs like CyberTitan, which gives New Brunswick students the skills for the digital economy via hands-on experiences. In addition, we continue to support and promote CyberLaunch Academy, which offers students courses in personal online security, coding, web design, and more. (Summer Camps are now available)
Preparing New Brunswick’s Youth for Great Careers at Home
Thanks to institutions like the University of New Brunswick’s (UNB) ground-breaking computer science faculty, the province is well positioned to send homegrown talent into the cybersecurity world and help fill those 3.5 million open positions.
UNB added to its already impressive cybersecurity bona fides with the 2017 launch of the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity (CIC). Just a few weeks ago, TD became the first Canadian bank to join the CIC ecosystem. Graduate students from the Institute will be given the opportunity to work directly with the TD team on various security efforts. TD also expects to open an office on UNB’s Fredericton campus.
Our community colleges are also playing a key role in preparing our students for great cybersecurity careers. Last year, CyberNB and NBCC joined forces to launch a post-grad cybersecurity program at the College’s Saint John campus which begins in September. This fall also sees the launch of a new cybersecurity course at CCNB’s Dieppe campus.
The opportunities these companies bring to New Brunswick don’t begin and end with coders and developers. Cybersecurity companies, like any other business, require HR and administrative personnel, marketing and communications professionals, project managers, and more.
“New Brunswick’s focus on skills and workforce development is both short-term and long-term in nature. This is a unique approach to talent development,” notes Tyson Johnson, CyberNB Chief Operating Officer. “This strategy is working, with global names like CNL, Siemens, and others choosing New Brunswick.”
Learn more at ONBCanada.ca and CyberNB.ca.