Ottawa, January 13, 2021 – Trend Micro and Simon Fraser University have partnered to help train future cybersecurity professionals entering the workforce at a time in which specialized skills in cloud security is needed. This new partnership is another step Trend Micro is making this year to connect Canadian students with industry insights and networking opportunities while they are still in school.

“Trend Micro’s mission is to make the world a safer place for the exchange of information and we believe it starts with education,” said Antoine Saikaley, Technical Director at Trend Micro Canada. “Both in the boardroom and in the classroom, we’re committed to preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals to ensure the future of Canadian business will remain resilient in the face of growing cyber threats.”

Trend Micro is already providing course lectures, lab exercises and assessments in cloud security to the first cohort of SFU’s new Professional Master's Program in Computer Science - Cybersecurity Concentration, which launched in September 2020. In the span of 16 to 20 months, the program educates students in a broad range of cybersecurity topics. Almost half of the curriculum consists of lab work providing students with hands-on experience necessary for a successful career path in the cybersecurity field. 

Students have the opportunity to explore cyber risks related to cloud infrastructure and cloud native applications. In addition, they are learning the necessary skills needed to secure these environments in an AWS lab environment using some of Trend Micro’s CloudOne solutions pertaining to cloud security posture management and runtime application self protection.

“As we know, the skills demand for our industry has really grown because of the implications of COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mohammad Tayebi, Cybersecurity Researcher and Program Instructor, Simon Fraser University. “We’re really pleased to have an expert partner like Trend Micro to help make the transition from school to work seamless for our students as they gain the skills and experiences relevant to cybersecurity right now.”

Trend Micro’s 2021 Predictions Report echoes this need for upskilling students and the current workforce. It also stresses the need for fostering user education and training while many employees continue to work from home and mix personal and professional information online.

“We are excited about the future of cybersecurity, knowing that education institutions like SFU are prioritizing dedicated specialties to keep pace with the changes in the industry,” said Saikaley. “Students will be even more prepared to help navigate and battle cyber threats.”

About Trend Micro
Trend Micro, a global leader in cybersecurity, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Leveraging over 30 years of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro enables resilience for businesses, governments, and consumers with connected solutions across cloud workloads, endpoints, email, IIoT, and networks. Our XGen™ security strategy powers our solutions with a cross-generational blend of threat-defense techniques that are optimized for key environments and leverage shared threat intelligence for better, faster protection. With over 6,700 employees in 65 countries, and the world's most advanced global threat research and intelligence, Trend Micro enables organizations to secure their connected world. www.trendmicro.com.

About Simon Fraser University
As Canada’s engaged university, SFU works with communities, organizations and partners to create, share and embrace knowledge that improves life and generates real change. We deliver a world-class education with lifelong value that shapes change-makers, visionaries and problem-solvers. We connect research and innovation to entrepreneurship and industry to deliver sustainable, relevant solutions to today’s problems. With campuses in British Columbia’s three largest cities—Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey—SFU has eight faculties that deliver 193 undergraduate degree programs and 127 graduate degree programs to more than 37,000 students. The university now boasts more than 165,000 alumni residing in 143 countries.