Elizabeth Sloane launches a US$14.6 million Cybersecurity Upskilling Grant Program for the Caribbean and Africa.

Elizabeth Sloane, A Jamaican Business Development Firm has announced US$14.6 million in grants and scholarships for upskilling Cyber Security Professionals in Africa and the Caribbean.

The Cyber Security Grant Program is intended to help governments, the military, intelligence, telecommunication, and the financial sector, address cybersecurity risks
and threats to data protection through self-paced ICT upskilling.

The last two years have seen cybersecurity attacks rise, adversely impacting the global economy. Leading industry research leader, Cybersecurity Ventures, estimates that damages from cybercrime will cost the globe $US 7 billion in 2022. Additionally, as of 2022, there is still a global cybersecurity workforce gap of over 2.72 million. Through ESIT, Elizabeth Sloane looks to close this gap while investing in cybersecurity professionals in Africa and the Caribbean.

There is an untapped and talented workforce in Africa and the Caribbean, and with the high-level education and certifications offered through ESIT, ICT Professionals on the Continent and in the Caribbean will be able to take their skills to the next level while also helping the world at large. “We see it critical to support the upskilling of ICT professionals on the Continent and the Caribbean mainly because we are feeling the negative effects of the skill gap,” stated Melanie Wynter, the Managing Director of Elizabeth Sloane.

Applicants have the opportunity to join the communities of (ISC)², CompTIA, and Elizabeth Sloane Institute of Technology (ESIT), a premier online higher education technology platform. Offering best-in-class cybersecurity and data science programs, graduates will be equipped with the abilities and tools to design, implement and manage a cybersecurity infrastructure effectively. Certification programs such as CISSP are the first credential in the field of information security to meet the stringent requirements of ISO/IEC Standard 17024.

With CISSP, graduates validate their expertise and become an (ISC)² and ESIT community members, unlocking a broad array of exclusive resources, educational tools, and peer-to-peer networking opportunities. All programs are backed by (ISC)², and CompTIA and are studied at ESIT.

Eligibility Citizens of English-speaking states and territories can apply for awards including fifteen (15) Caribbean countries and twenty-three (23) African countries.

The eligible African countries are South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Cameroon,
Malawi, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Liberia, Swaziland, Kenya, Somaliland,
Eritrea, Lesotho, Mauritius, Botswana, Namibia, The Gambia, Sudan, Seychelles, and
Zambia.

The eligible Caribbean countries are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados,
Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and
Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines, Trinidad, and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos
Islands.

Application Process

Applying for an award under this initiative is a simple process. Applicants must complete the
application by October 12, 2022. The application process can take up to three weeks.
Select the scholarship or the grant from the available awards below that is most suitable:

The Kusi P. Adu-Amankwah “Lex Stella” Award
Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, leadership, and community
service to Information Technology professionals working within the Government. Military,
Intelligence, and/or International Development Sectors throughout West Africa. The
scholarship subsidizes CISSP, CCSP, Security+, and SSCP training and examination.

Lauryn C. Poyser Award
The Award focuses on increasing the number of women in the management and
operation ranks of the Education, Agriculture, Finance, and ICT industries. Eligible
candidates must have declared experience in information technology.
Applicants must submit a 500-word essay (statement of purpose) discussing the role
they hope to play in advancing the future of Edtech, Agritech, Fintech, or Security
Technology, as well as detail a legacy project they will execute if awarded. The award
subsidizes CISSP training and examination.

Upskill Africa Award
Upskill Africa is a grant designed to facilitate the upskilling of ICT professionals in both public
and private sectors in 23 African countries. The grant will subsidize the cost of training and
examination of CISSP, Security +, CCSP, and SSCP certification at ESIT.

C. Courtney Jackson Award
C. Courtney Jackson is a grant designed to facilitate the upskilling of ICT professionals in
telecommunication and the private sectors in Caribbean countries. The grant will subsidize the cost of education and examination of CISSP at ESIT.