11 April 2019

Concern about the shortage of professionals with skills to combat cyber threats has prompted the founding of the Professional Development Institute (PDI).

It offers free online self-paced training, including videos, to members and associates of the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, abbreviated to (ISC)2.

A spokesman said the PDI could be thought of as the Open University for topup cyber security training. The consortium, founded in 1989, claims more than 140,000 members. About 28,000 are in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with most in the UK where it has seven chapters and an office in London.

It was set up to establish single curricula and certification; until then a number of associations organised their own. Applicants take one of 12 paid-for training courses and then sit an examination to achieve certification. The best known is the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Then the annual subscription is 125 US dollars.

The CEO of the consortium, David Shearer, said: “The Professional Development institute is recognition that cyber security education is a lifelong journey and that achieving professional certification, while important, is only one step along the way.”

It says that making PDI courses available in an easily-accessible online format would help members maintain a work-life balance.

During the next two years, 18 additional staff are expected to be hired to develop PDI, adding to the 160-plus already in place at the organisation. And a 765 sq ft video production studio is planned at the consortium’s HQ in Clearwater, Florida.

All of the consortium’s courses are available to non members at “competitive” prices.