Elizabeth Sloane’s Board of Directors has approved this year’s scholarship round valuing over $4.6 million for upskilling persons’ who identify as a member of the black diaspora across the globe. In 2023 Elizabeth Sloane Institute of Technology awarded over 620 scholarships to upskill in cybersecurity across English-speaking Africa and the Caribbean, this year they opened it to global applicants. This unprecedented investment seeks to address the global skills shortage in AI, Cybersecurity and Data Science, while also creating new opportunities for ICT professionals in the black diaspora.
“This program will not only bolster the world’s defences against cybercrime but also empower black ICT professionals to thrive in a high-growth industry that desperately needs their talent,” said Melanie Wynter, Director of Elizabeth Sloane.
The program will provide four distinct funding opportunities to eligible applicants, covering over 70% of the costs of industry-recognized (ISC)² cybersecurity certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, and SSCP over a 12-month period and Online Self- Paced STEM Master’s Degree. These awards include the Kusi P. Adu-Amankwah “Lex Stella” Award, the Lauryn C. Poyser Award, the Homegrown Alliance Award, and the C. Courtney Jackson Award.
This initiative comes at a critical time, as cybercrime is predicted to cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2023, while the global cybersecurity workforce shortage is expected to reach 3.5 million unfilled roles.
“Supporting the upskilling of black ICT professionals is crucial, as we see firsthand the negative impact of the skills gap while serving clients across Africa and the Caribbean,” said Gawayne Beckford, Member Academic Council of Elizabeth Sloane Institute of Technology.
The application process is simple and open to the public, with a submission deadline of May 15th, 2024.
For more information or to apply, please visit [@esitedu | Linktree] or contact us at [email protected].
