How the Israel Cyber Campus is preparing the next generation of cyber warriors
Amid a 3.4M worldwide gap of cybersecurity workers, the Israel Cyber Campus teaches North American teens about cyber with the same methods used to train the Israel Defense Forces
Cyber security is a top priority for the world’s largest companies including Alphabet, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon, which have all made huge investments in developing the field. However, even with billions of dollars allotted for cyber, all the world’s largest companies struggle with the same problem: an inability to hire skilled cybersecurity employees.
In fact, according to a study by the nonprofit cybersecurity association, (ISC)2, there is a worldwide gap of 3.4 million cybersecurity workers and the gap is growing faster than the workforce. This gap significantly reduces the effectiveness of cybersecurity efforts that are necessary to protect organizations from attacks.
“Cyber is warfare,” said Yigal Unna, the president of the Israel Cyber Campus, which was established to address this skill gap. “Cyber employees are warriors. They need to face real-life adversity and train to be warriors just like warriors train in judo.”
Opening the doors to promising careers
Established in 2022, the Israel Cyber Campus prepares students for careers in cyber, both as defenders who are responsible for defending against attacks and as developers. Israel Cyber Campus students get hands-on experience and learn from Israel’s top cyber experts from the Israeli Defense Forces most elite cyber unit, 8200 from the their homes. The courses are designed to prepare students for promising careers in this rapidly advancing industry.
The Israel Cyber Campus teaches both in-person and online courses to people entering the workforce and to teenagers who want to get ahead before going to college or the army. One of their most promising programs is an online intensive course aimed at high school students in North America, Canada, and Australia, during which students use an AI simulator that was designed for training the Israeli Defense Forces.
“This course opens a window to the future for students,” the campus’ Founder Ronit Hasin Hochman said. “When people are introduced to this world at a young age, it is a great opportunity for a strong and important career.”
In light of high demand, September registration dates were closed “We are adding new dates to ensure that we can meet demand.” Hochman continues “two additional registration dates will be available with the launch prices.”
Today, careers in cyber are some of the highest paying jobs on the market, especially for highly trained defenders who can effectively stop cyber attacks. This skill is so rare, yet so valuable, that companies are willing to pay top dollar to the right people.
However, the only way to obtain these highly sought-after skills is from real-life experience. The Israel Cyber Campus has designed its courses to simulate cyber attacks in the real world, preparing students for actual careers.
All students need is a laptop and high motivation and they will learn about internet safety, data privacy, coding, and digital literacy. The course also covers how to detect and even carry out an attack. Seventy percent of the course is taught through practical work. While students do learn theory, most of the course involves using the AI simulator that allows students to use their knowledge to detect and defend against attacks exactly how it is done in the real world. Students learn from the comfort of their homes, through a hybrid class-model.
The Israeli expertise
The course is taught by top experts in the field from the IDF’s 8200 intelligence unit. Students who complete the course receive a certificate of completion signed by Unna, who developed the course along with experts from the IDF, academia, and the professional world.
Unna has 33 years of experience in the cyber world. A veteran of the IDF’s 8200 unit, Unna spent most of his career in the Shabak where he headed the cyber division. He also served as the Director General of the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) from 2017-2022. The INCD is a national organization responsible for the cyber ecosystem, including protecting the country from cyber attacks and developing the workforce and industry.
After his tenure at the INCD, Unna turned to the private sector to join forces with Hochman as she established the Israel Cyber Campus. Her inspiration came from her personal experience as the CEO and Founder of Improvate, a company dedicated to bringing Israeli innovation to international markets. Hochman realized that when it came to the cyber industry, there simply weren’t enough skilled people and that even current cyber employees lacked extensive knowledge and skills.
Israel is one of the world’s powerhouses for cybersecurity innovation, with more than 450 cybersecurity startups and companies and more than $7.5 billion in exit investments in 2023, according to Israel’s Startup Nation Central. This makes Israel an ideal environment for spreading knowledge to build the cybersecurity workforce.
“Not only does the course prepare students for promising careers, but it also helps them build a connection with Israel,” Hochman noted. With the current situation in Israel, Jewish teens in the diaspora may be missing out on other programs that connect them with the homeland. This course allows Jewish teens to interact with top Israeli professionals and establish a connection from afar.
The Israel Cyber Campus has already held more than 30 courses in Israel and about seven courses abroad. Courses scheduled for September are booking up quickly, although more courses will open up in the near future.
“We are lowering the threshold for entering this field,” Unna said. “Many people are afraid to get into cyber because it sounds complex. But with the right basic skills and motivation to learn and work hard, all you need is someone to train you.”
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