PwC India and NIIT University (NU) have entered into a strategic partnership to create a trained talent pool of cyber security professionals in India. Experts from the two companies have co-created a two-year work-integrated specialized Master’s Program in Cyber Security. The key driver of the program is industry-led research in the cyber security space.
“Technology has changed the way businesses are run and has brought along with it unique challenges and threats. In today’s digitized environment securing our cyberspace has become a priority for businesses and citizens across the world,” said Rajendra S Pawar, Chairman NIIT Group, and Founder NU. “This calls for a team of trained professionals who are equipped to combat the challenges that are posed by hackers every day. Our partnership with PwC India is a step in that direction.”
The trade body for India’s IT industry, NASSCOM, launched a Cyber Security Task Force last year to build India as a global hub for providing cyber security solutions, prepare the Cyber Security R&D plan and develop a skilled workforce of cyber security experts. The task force aims to build the industry from the 1 percent market share to 10 percent by 2025, create a trained base of 1 million certified and skilled cyber security professionals, and build over a thousand startups in cyber security from India.
Deepak Kapoor, Chairman, PwC India, said the company has around 300 people in this practice and will need to increase it tenfold to about 3,000 people over the next 4-5 years. The first year of the Master’s Program in Cyber Security will be held at the Neemrana Campus of NU, followed by an internship at PwC India under the supervision of NU faculty. The program will emphasize on Security Analytics, Threat Intelligence, Industrial Control System and Vulnerability Analysis and also draw on practitioner-experts from PwC India to ensure the right blend of academic concepts and industry application. In addition, PwC India and NU will co-create specialized laboratories at the university, with advanced hardware and software required for the program. PwC India will jointly select the candidates along with NU and also provide expert faculty from within the firm and other industry practitioners for delivery of the program.
