The Fortinet Training Institute has been recognized with various industry awards and accolades that highlight Fortinet's commitment to cybersecurity training and certification. These industry recognitions shed light on Fortinet's commitment to closing the cybersecurity skills gap and its ongoing investment in training and certification, pledging to train 1 million people on cybersecurity by 2026. Fortinet strives to deliver the best cybersecurity training and certification program in the industry.

The Evolution of Cybersecurity Training and Certification at Fortinet

In 2004, Fortinet introduced its first certification program, which included the designations Fortinet Certified Network Security Administrator (FCNSA) and Fortinet Certified Network Security Professional (FCNSP). Since the launch of these initial designations, the Fortinet NSE Certification program is making enhancements to focus on role-based training aligned to in-demand careers, such as Cloud Security Specialists and Security Operations Center (SOC) Analysts, which a recent Fortinet report found were the two most sought-after roles in cybersecurity. These latest enhancements will be effective in the fall of 2023, providing multiple certification options to better drill down into areas of expertise.

The ecosystem supporting this program has also evolved from a small number of Authorized Training Centers to a global network in more than 150 countries and territories, more than 500 academic partners, and a growing number of select nonprofit organizations supporting diversity and inclusion within the cybersecurity industry.

While the ever-evolving threat landscape has driven the need for the Fortinet NSE Certification program to expand, the quality of the program has been a direct result of continued corporate investment as well as the longstanding dedication to the program by our curriculum development team at the Fortinet Training Institute, many of our Fortinet Certified Trainers (FCTs), and ATCs. Our curriculum development team takes the lead on the program's development, but several FCTs have been teaching Fortinet courses since the start of the program and have driven many quality improvements over the years.

Cybersecurity Training Industry Recognitions

As part of Fortinet's goal to provide the best cybersecurity training and certification program, these efforts have recently been honored and validated by the industry through a series of awards. The Fortinet Training Institute has been recognized with the following: 

2023 Awards

• Winner of Cyber Defense Magazine's 2023 Global Infosec Awards for Cutting-Edge Security Awareness Training
• Winner of Cyber Defense Magazine's 2023 Global Infosec Awards for Best Solution Cybersecurity Training
• CyberSecurity Excellence Award 2023 Winner for Best Cybersecurity Training Program
• CyberSecurity Excellence Award 2023 Winner for Security Awareness Program

2022 Awards

• Finalist for SC Media's 2022 Awards for Best Professional Certification Program
• Gold for Best Cybersecurity Training from the 2022 Cyber Security Excellence Awards
• Silver for Best Security Training and Educational Programs from the Globee 2022 Cyber Security Global Excellence Awards

2021 Awards

• 2021 Cybersecurity Breakthrough Award for Professional Certification Program of the Year
• Gold for Best Cybersecurity Education Provider from the 2021 Cyber Security Excellence Awards
• Gold for Best Cybersecurity Training from the 2021 Cyber Security Excellence Awards
• Gold for Best Security Training and Educational Programs from the Globee 2021 Cyber Security Global Excellence Awards
• Silver for Best Security Training Marketing Program from the Globee 2021 Cyber Security Global Excellence Awards

Fortinet Training Institute's Work to Close the Skills Gap

The demand for cybersecurity talent will only increase, and the competition among organizations for qualified professionals will grow even fiercer. Training plays a critical role in helping current security professionals grow in their careers, keeping up with the latest threat tactics and security technology, while ultimately protecting organizations from a growing array of cyber risks.

Find out more about how Fortinet's Training Advancement Agenda (TAA) and Training Institute programs-including the NSE Certification program, Academic Partner program, and Education Outreach program-are helping to solve the cyber skills gap and prepare the cybersecurity workforce of tomorrow.