Raytheon Company and (ISC)2 Foundation will offer $90,000 in new scholarship programs and paid internships over three years to encourage women to pursue cybersecurity degrees.
"Not only is there a deep cybersecurity talent gap that threatens our national security, there is also a distinct gender gap between men and women when it comes to cyber career exposure and awareness," said David Wajsgras, president of Raytheon’s Intelligence, Information and Services business. "These new programs will encourage women to pursue exciting and challenging career opportunities in cybersecurity, which will strengthen both our economy and our national-security posture."
Administered by the (ISC)2 Foundation, the annual Raytheon Women’s Cybersecurity Scholarship will award scholarships to two college students annually. Each scholarship will include a paid summer internship in Raytheon’s Intelligence, Information and Services’ Cybersecurity and Special Mission area. It will also include other (ISC)2 Foundation benefits: exam voucher for the recipients’ certification exam of their choice and a fully paid, first-year (ISC)2 membership after passing the exam and becoming endorsed.
The (ISC)2 Foundation, the charitable trust formed by (ISC)2 in 2011, is a conduit for its members to empower students, teachers and the general public to secure their online life with cyber security education and awareness programs.
"The recent (ISC)² Global Information Security Workforce Study revealed a workforce gap in the information security field of 1.5 million in the next five years. We see that as an untapped market of potential information security professionals," said Foundation Director Patrick Craven. "With this partnership, the Foundation and Raytheon can actively support women who are focusing their studies on information security and give them the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience."
The Raytheon Women’s Cybersecurity Scholarship is the latest of the company’s efforts aimed at developing cyber talent around the world. For the past three years, Raytheon has pioneered its global cyber-career research with the National Cyber Security Alliance, highlighting opportunities and perspectives from millennials about undertaking careers in cybersecurity. Raytheon is also the title sponsor of the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, a tournament to choose the U.S. collegiate team that can best protect computer networks against real-world cyber threats.
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