Women in Cloud and National CyberWatch Center Join Forces to Expand Cybersecurity Talent Pipeline

The digital world is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and with it comes a growing need for skilled cybersecurity professionals.?

Recognizing this critical need, Women in Cloud (WIC) and the National CyberWatch Center have forged a transformative partnership to empower the next generation of cybersecurity talent—particularly women and underserved communities—through education, mentorship, and market-ready skills.

At the heart of this partnership lies a shared vision: to provide meaningful pathways for individuals to break into cybersecurity careers while addressing the workforce gap in this rapidly evolving field. Through this collaboration, we are launching initiatives designed to equip aspiring professionals with cutting-edge skills, real-world experience, and access to industry networks.

One of the key pillars of this initiative is the Cybersecurity Certification Scholarship Program. Through this program, 100 Microsoft Cybersecurity Scholarships will be granted to individuals within the National CyberWatch Center’s ecosystem, with the potential to scale based on demand. By removing financial barriers to entry, we aim to increase diversity in cybersecurity and offer new opportunities to those eager to make an impact in the industry.

Beyond scholarships, this partnership is designed to foster deep engagement through community-building and professional development. Women in Cloud and the National CyberWatch Center will collaborate on speaker engagements, webinars, and conferences, ensuring that aspiring cybersecurity professionals gain both knowledge and connections to thrive. Additionally, we are working together to develop joint grant opportunities that will further enhance cybersecurity education and workforce development.

"Women in Cloud is committed to advancing economic access for women in tech, and cybersecurity presents a tremendous opportunity for DevOpsSec career growth and leadership," said Chaitra Vedullapalli, Co-Founder and President of Women in Cloud. "By collaborating with the National CyberWatch Center, we are taking a major step forward in providing tangible, career-accelerating opportunities for emerging and underrepresented talent in cybersecurity."

For the National CyberWatch Center, this collaboration represents an opportunity to amplify cybersecurity education and workforce readiness initiatives. By co-branding efforts and leveraging WIC’s digital ecosystem, we will work together to create readiness sessions, mentorship programs, and community-driven support networks to help students successfully navigate their cybersecurity education and careers.

"The National CyberWatch Center is thrilled to announce our partnership with Women-in-Cloud to support our Cyber Ready Clinics as they expand nationwide. Women-in-Cloud's security certification preparation resources are critical to increasing the number of cyber professionals seeking employment or starting a cybersecurity practice to protect and defend the nation's critical infrastructure. Over 85% of students enrolled in the Cyber Ready Clinic's Mastery Learning System develop the readiness to succeed in certification preparation programs, nearly tripling the usual certification success rates. Through the partnerships with Women-in-Cloud and Microsoft, the Cyber Ready Clinics will enable hundreds of students from underrepresented populations to attain the necessary credentials, serve small and mid-size organizations lacking cyber expertise, and gain the experience needed to advance in a cybersecurity career." said David Tobey, Executive Director and Principal Investor at National CyberWatch Center

We invite educators, industry leaders, and aspiring cybersecurity professionals to engage with us. The collective movement commits to build a more DevSecOps ready workforce—one that is equipped to tackle the complex challenges of the AI age.

Stay connected for updates, scholarship applications, and opportunities to engage in this groundbreaking initiative. Follow Women in Cloud and the National CyberWatch Center to be part of the future of cybersecurity talent development.

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