Irish cybersecurity firm launches academy for women
SMARTTECH247, a computer security service company, has launched a cybersecurity academy aimed at women to help tackle a gender gap in the sector.
Ergo has learned the managed security service provider is to offer an intensive course for women looking to develop skills for a future career in cybertech and security. The first student intake is planned for this autumn.
The six-week course will see students learn how to tackle the evolving range of cyberattacks around the world. Some of the top performers will be offered the opportunity to take up a 12-month placement with Smarttech247 at one of their bases in Ireland, Poland or Romania.
Applications are now being accepted for the course, from women who have, or are on track to receive, a degree in computer science.
Raluca Saceanu, general manager of Smarttech247, told Ergo the academy idea was partly inspired by her own experience working in the sector. “Men outnumber women three to one in the cybersecurity sector, which means that the industry has a wide pool of untapped talent as we face an increasingly sophisticated level of threat from our adversaries,” she said.
“With this programme, we want to demonstrate to young women who are at the start of their cybersecurity career that many opportunities await them.”
Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath praised the academy. “It’s a positive example of a company playing their part in establishing a more gender-balanced working environment, which can only be of benefit to all,” he said.
The Homebase store in Fonthill, Dublin has been closed down
Homebase closes Dublin store in turnaround drive
ERGO has unfortunately noticed a growing number of vacant retail units in recent weeks, which is to be expected given the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Among them is a large Homebase store in Fonthill, Dublin which closed in recent months. Homebase was sold by Australian firm Wesfarmers to British restructuring specialists Hilco for £1 in 2018, leading to a number of closures in the UK. “We’ve had to make some difficult but necessary decisions regarding store closures in the last few years, as part of our turnaround plan, to ensure the business is sustainably set up for the future,” a spokesman for the company said. “As part of this we recently closed our Dublin Fonthill store — the only one to have closed in Ireland this year. All team members were notified prior to the store closing. We now have a total of 10 stores in Ireland.”
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland is due to become the Media Commission and a new EU directive on policing of video content is due to be transposed into law in September. As previously flagged in these pages, Ireland has a key role due to the fact that so many tech giants are headquartered here. There appears to be a hold up, however. Briefing notes for new minister Catherine Martin state that “the European Commission has not yet issued promised guidelines in respect of the directive and the transposition date may be delayed”.