Fortinet partners Multimedia University to train cybersecurity talent

• MMU to offer Fortinet’s training courses and certifications
• Approximately 400 students are expected to benefit from the programme

Cybersecurity solutions provider Fortinet announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Multimedia University (MMU) to provide its IT students with industry-recognised cybersecurity training and certifications. 

In a statement, Fortinet said it will provide students with in-demand cybersecurity skills to prepare them to become the next generation that fortifies the nation's digital resilience. 

With this agreement, MMU becomes the latest organisation to join the network security expert (NSE) training institute’s security academy programme which works with academic institutions around the world to bridge the gap between learning and careers in cybersecurity, it said.

MMU will be able to offer Fortinet’s NSE training and certification courses at the faculty of information science and technology and faculty of computing and informatics, it added.

“As cybersecurity threats are increasingly sophisticated, there is an urgent need for action, to close the skills gap by training an elite security workforce that is qualified to protect our digital networks from these threats,” said Alex Loh, country manager, Fortinet Malaysia.

“Our partnership with MMU reiterates our commitment to this aim as we train IT students and help prepare them for a career in technology," he added.

Fortinet said about 400 students are expected to benefit from the programme in the first academic year of the partnership.

Students will enter the programme at NSE Level 4 with opportunities to explore additional training pathways as the programme grows over time, it said.

Certified instructors will conduct the training and certification programme which is a combination of self-paced and instructor-led courses through classroom and laboratory sessions, including both practical and experiential exercises. 

The robust curriculum is expected to produce highly-qualified graduates equipped with cybersecurity skills to help protect networks from global cyber threats and strengthen the national digital security landscape, Fortinet claimed.

As Malaysia's digital transformation agenda accelerates with the pandemic-induced surge in e-commerce, digital banking, healthcare, online education, and cloud, Fortinet said the need to protect organisational and personal data becomes even more mission critical. 

Under MyDigital, the nation is taking necessary steps to build a reliable digital infrastructure, facilitate innovation, and create an ecosystem that delivers inclusive, responsible, and sustainable socio economic development, it said.

"For Malaysia to realise the vision for our digital future, next generation security and technology training is the need of the hour.

"This collaboration with Fortinet not only introduces next-level cyber security training, but also reinforces our commitment to the future of Malaysia's digital resilience,” said Mazliham Mohd Su’ud, president of MMU.