(ISC)² certifications will be recognized within the Learning Tree's proprietary course library and provided within the commercial training frameworks it maintains for major organisations, including the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency). The collaboration broadens access to the best cybersecurity practices, knowledge, and principles documented over 28 years by (ISC)²'s global community of more than 120,000 practicing information-security professionals.

The agreement follows Learning Tree's February announcement of a commercial training contract to be delivered across forty sites serving 33,000 NCI Agency staff, which included cybersecurity, among other technical and program-management disciplines. NCI Agency services are designed to support NATO consultation, command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.

Through this agreement, Learning Tree will also include (ISC)² training and certifications within their programs that align to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework under the U.S. Department of Commerce and the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST).

Sean Craig, managing director, Learning Tree International EMEA, notes that cybersecurity is a growing priority. "Our clients are beginning to truly understand the scope of the threat being felt around the world today, and they are looking to both develop and demonstrate that they have the skills to face it. For this reason, we are finding that formal certification and professional recognition for cybersecurity roles are becoming a key priority for many."

"Learning Tree lends a significant boost to our commitment to supporting organizations around the world in their battle against cyberthreats. As a global membership body, (ISC)² has a unique opportunity to maintain the breadth of practice knowledge and verify it by people working on the frontlines. Partnerships such as this one ensure we can reach the people that need it and add the credibility of professional recognition to the challenging work that they do,” says Faisal Malik, head of business and market development EMEA, (ISC)².

This year, forecasts for a global cybersecurity skills shortage grew by twenty percent, to reach 1.8 million in 2022, according to the Center for Cyber Safety and Education's 2017 Global Information Security Workforce Study, which has been benchmarking workforce development for (ISC)² and the world since 2004.

The study also reports that governments and companies are already feeling the impact of the shortage, with 66 percent of the more than 19,000 respondents stating they have too few professionals working for them today and 46 percent of the more than 1,000 UK participants in particular struggling to find the talent they were actively recruiting.

(ISC)² certifications confirm comprehensive professional knowledge in the critical areas needed to develop and protect systems and data in current business and working environments. The organization has a firm commitment to continuing education that helps professionals and their employers keep pace with ever-changing requirements.