Cybersecurity solutions provider Fortinet has launched a new free training program for organizations that are aiming to educate their employees about the risks of cyberattacks. The Information Security Awareness and Training service aligns with guidelines by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which promotes innovation and industrial competitiveness. It is also backed by the Network Security Expert (NSE) Training Institute.

Amid the pandemic, Fortinet has made its self-paced NSE security courses available for free to facilitate the learning of new skills or augmentation of existing ones. It is designed to cover IT professionals, students, veterans, and even job seekers. The company even refers to the findings of its recent skills gap poll, which found that up to 82% of organizations prefer to hire candidates with certifications, while 94% of individual-respondents believe that their certifications can better prepare them for their current and future security role.

By extending access to the NSE training with free courses, Fortinet aims to create more career pathways for those who are ready to further advance their knowledge about security and those who want to begin a career in cybersecurity. The free training courses also prepare learners for a path receiving Fortinet’s award-winning NSE Certifications, which could be helpful in spurring career growth.

Fortinet’s Information Security Awareness and Training service expands the free training offerings by the NSES Training Institute. The program addresses skills gap across the industry through the following:

• Free information security awareness and training service for organizations

• NSE training courses that qualify for ISC credits for continued learning.

• Issuance of NSE certifications