Bell Commits $1.2-Million To Developing N.B. Cybersecurity Talent
FREDERICTON – The Bell Research Intensive Cyber Knowledge Studies (BRICKS) program will provide cybersecurity students with scholarship funding, an internship, and then a full-time job offer.
The program, run out of the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity (CIC) at UNB, will connect students from the Masters of Applied Cybersecurity program to business. Bell is the first private sector sponsor of this program with an initial $1.2-million commitment over three years.
“As Canada’s largest communications company and provider of the country’s most advanced broadband communications networks, Bell is a leader in the research and development of security and IT technology,” said Glen LeBlanc, Bell’s Vice Chair Atlantic in a release. “We look forward to working with our partners at UNB to support the next generation of Canadian cybersecurity talent and welcoming them to the Bell team.”
The BRICKS program will connect students with industry with the goal of ultimately giving them a full-time job in the cybersecurity sector.
“It is a training program that is really developed in conjunction with industry and it’s meant to meet their industry needs,” said Hugh Hicks, the Talent and Partnership Development manager with the CIC in an interview with Huddle. “Industry is having a say in some of the things that are being delivered in the training, which I think is important.”
The Masters program, which launched in 2019, also gives students the opportunity to complete a Research and Development project. These projects will lend themselves handy as part of the BRICKS program, according to Hicks.
“It’s not all theoretical, it’s very much practical so the students that are with the company get to actually work on a real-life cybersecurity issue that the company is currently facing. It’s a real-life, real action type thing,” he said.
The BRICKS program is developed in partnership with TechImpact, which works closely with IT companies across Atlantic Canada.
“Growing the talent pool is a key component of Atlantic Canada becoming a cybersecurity hub,” said Cathy Simpson, CEO of TechImpact, in a release. “TechImpact is thrilled to be partnering on this exciting pilot project that supports students and industry alike with a focus on developing our much-needed talent pipeline.”
New Brunswick has begun to establish itself as a national leader in cybersecurity with a strong cluster of partners in business, academia, and government. The program will provide students with opportunities to contribute to the growing field of cybersecurity, which faces a looming labour shortfall. There will be a projected 3.5 million unfilled positions in cybersecurity globally in 2021 according to Cybersecurity Ventures.
A reason for these job openings is the sheer volume of new devices that lend themselves to potential cyber-attacks. These include networks, smart devices, cell phones, tablets, and computers.
“Generally speaking, what’s happening is there’s a proliferation of devices and as we get more and more connected, you get more and more attack surfaces,” said Hicks.
The program will be supported by the Government of Canada’s $997,000 commitment made in August 2019 to fund curriculum development, industry-specific training, experiential learning opportunities, and program management.
“Cybersecurity is an area of huge economic potential,” said René Arseneault, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages.
“That’s why we’re committed to supporting the development of cybersecurity solutions, education, and infrastructure, through programs like this one. By working closely with provincial partners, industry, and learning institutions, we can help build a strong, agile cybersecurity sector here in Atlantic Canada and across the country.”
Liam Floyd is a reporter for Huddle. Send him story suggestions: [email protected].