Cybersecurity opportunities for Trinidad and Tobago students
Chaguanas Mayor His Worship Gopaul Boodhan (3rd from left) is flanked by Rayan Ramoutar, Consultant with the GSPP; Tracy Hackshaw, Programme Manager & Head of the Programme Execution Unit GSPP; Raj Ramdass, Director RSC International; Sugan Ramdass, Director RSC International; Chrisen Maharaj, Manager, Capacity Building and Programme Financing EXPORTT.
Globally, countries are struggling to meet the demand for cyber security experts, especially after recent high-profile public and private cyber-attacks. A few students in Trinidad and Tobago took advantage of a timely opportunity to gain valuable skills necessary to enter the cyber security industry, a sector with salaries upwards of TT $35,000.00 monthly, depending on experience and certification.
A group of secondary school students, tertiary level students and IT professionals took part in the cyber-security capacity-building workshop held as part of the Global Services Promotion Programme, being implemented by the Ministry of Planning and Development. Participants learned the basics of cyber security and the importance of the field to the financial, business and education sectors.
The workshop is one of several initiatives undertaken since November 2016, through the Global Services Promotion Programme, which is funded via a loan and grant agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Other initiatives rolled out under the programme include a training session with search-engine giant Google, seminars for schools involving building computer systems, and an Internet of Things workshop with IBM.
The programme seeks to drive the country's economic diversification. With the nation's economic outlook facing stiff challenges in the oil and gas sector, the initiatives are expected to broaden opportunities in non-traditional economic sectors.