ZeroFOX Supports Maryland Tech Workforce as Member of the Central Maryland IT/Cyber Consortium

BALTIMORE - June 26, 2014 - PRLog -- BALTIMORE, MD – June 30, 2014 – ZeroFOX, The Social Risk Management Company™, announced that the Central Maryland IT/Cyber Consortium has been awarded an implementation grant through EARN (Employment Advancement Right Now) Maryland. The grant funds will be used to develop an innovative workforce development program and provide Marylanders with hands-on training and education through apprenticeships at partner companies. The Central Maryland IT/Cyber Consortium is an organization lead by strategic industry partners, such as ZeroFOX, and is chaired by LeVorn Smalley of the Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation and Chris Ensey of Dunbar Cybersecurity, a ZeroFOX partner.

EARN Maryland is a first-of-its-kind State skills training and economic development initiative that is business-led, flexible, and collaborative. It is designed to ensure that Maryland employers have the talent they need to compete and grow while providing targeted education and skills training to Maryland workers. As a recipient of a two-year $366,682 Implementation Grant plus almost $177,000 in cash or in-kind contributions from industry partners, the Central Maryland IT/Cyber Consortium will fund a workforce development program, called “Cyber Central,” until 2016 to provide hands-on skills training in cybersecurity and information technology.

“In today’s marketplace, Maryland is at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation. There is a high demand for talented professionals that can meet the growing needs of commercial and government organizations and prepare these entities for business in the global economy,” said Mike Passaro, ZeroFOX's Director of Strategy, the Chairman of the Consortium's Data Analysis Workgroup, and a member of its Steering Committee. “This Implementation Grant will enable the Consortium and its strategic industry partners to provide Marylanders with on-the-job training, education, and experience that will lead directly to career opportunities. It will offer tremendous opportunities for both employee and employer success.”

The Central Maryland IT/Cyber Consortium is in the process of implementing its workforce development program with an anticipated launch date of Fall 2014. The program, Cyber Central, will provide candidates with the real-world, hands-on experience necessary to obtain full-time positions in cybersecurity and IT through a two-part program featuring “Cyber Mindset” training followed by apprenticeships at partner companies. As a strategic industry partner, ZeroFOX brings expertise in cybersecurity, product development, and instructional design to the Consortium. ZeroFOX plans to take on at least two apprentices from the program.

Mike Passaro is excited about ZeroFOX’s role in the implementation of the Cyber Central program. “Workforce development is an interesting and challenging fusion of education, economics, and human resources. It involves many players with diverse skill-sets all coming together to improve social equity. Programs must be flexible, dynamic, and adaptive to the needs of the community while providing value to employers. It's a big challenge that few are willing to take on. I like that challenge and look forward to what the Consortium can accomplish, and the lives that we can change.”

About ZeroFOX

ZeroFOX, The Social Risk Management Company™, enables organizations to identify, manage, and mitigate the information security risks associated with employee and corporate social media usage. From targeted social-based cyber attacks to fraud, phishing, social engineering and executive impersonations, ZeroFOX provides real-time risk management, threat intelligence and security analytics. The ZeroFOX Platform is a suite of cloud-based security and analytics products that help enterprise and government customers proactively manage information security risks related to social media. Prior to ZeroFOX, organizations had no visibility into this extended perimeter and attack surface. To find out more information about ZeroFOX or to join our team, please visit: https://www.zerofox.com.

Media Contact
Clara Gustafson
Marketing & PR Manager, ZeroFOX
press@zerofox.com
1-855-936-9369 x104