WatchGuard Initiative for Security Education

Empowering the next generation of cybersecurity professionals

With the rise of cyber threats and attacks constantly on the rise, organizations need trained IT security staff more than ever before. However, from the growing skills gap to the lack of education programs available that leverage current technology, it’s no wonder organizations around the world are struggling to hire and retain the technical staff they need.

WatchGuard and our partners are on a mission to close the skills gap. That’s why we started the WatchGuard Initiative for Security Education, or WISE.

 
 

What Is WISE?

WISE is a program designed by WatchGuard and our partners to provide our products, services and combined knowledge to qualifying academic institutions. The WISE program includes access to our entire portfolio including WatchGuard Firebox, AuthPoint and Secure Wi-Fi.

At a high level, this partnership:

  • Develops a platform to help educate the next generation of IT security professionals
  • Supports WatchGuardONE partners as they give back and empower their local communities
  • Offers free devices and services specifically for classroom and instructional use
  • Makes training resources and IT knowledge easily accessible to academic institutions and students

Get Program Brochure

See It in Practice

Towards the end of 2017, Global Business Solutions (GBS) President Gaby Batshoun saw a need within his local community to help students studying computer information technology and computer science at his alma mater, Northern Kentucky University (NKU). GBS reached out to their longtime partner, WatchGuard, to see if they would be interested in developing a program to provide their technology designed for SMBs specifically to academic institutions like NKU.

The first academic institution that GBS brought into the WISE program was NKU. GBS supports the university by providing technical assistance with configuration and helping the teaching staff develop a working knowledge of the WatchGuard solutions.

See how Global Business Solutions partnered with WatchGuard to foster cybersecurity education with a local college through the WISE program.

We’ve been working with WatchGuard for over 20 years and we use their technology to support our SMB customers every day. I knew if we could get them involved in this program, we would really be able to provide value to our community and the students at NKU.

Gaby Batshoun, President, Global Business Solutions

Get Involved

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For WatchGuardONE Partners

All WatchGuardONE partners are eligible to participate in WISE, either with an academic institution in mind or with an institution identified by WatchGuard. Partners will serve as the primary point of contact for academic institutions, providing technical support, education assistance and campus visits.

For Academic Institutions

Currently, this program is open to post-secondary academic institutions that complete the program application and agree to all terms and conditions outlined in the guide. If a WatchGuardONE Partner has not already been identified, WatchGuard will match applying institutions with a partner sponsor.

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Get Started Today!

Simply complete the application and email it to [email protected]

  WISE Program Application