Visa (NYSE: V), a global payments technology company, announced the launch of the Visa Payments Learning Program designed to upskill employees, students, clients and military talent through training courses and certifications to support a sustainable and diverse talent pipeline.
The initial focus of this program is “centered around payments cybersecurity, created in response to the White House National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan that calls on business to heighten pathways for individuals to get into cybersecurity as the call for skilled cyber professionals continues to increase.”
In March 2023 alone, 41.9 million data records “were compromised by cyberattacks across the world—a 951% increase since March 2021.”
This has created a demand for cybersecurity talent “across all industries, but demand outpaces supply with global cybersecurity job vacancies growing by 350%, with 3.5 million unfilled roles in 2023.”
Overcoming this shortage is critical for any organization, but it is “particularly important in the payments industry to protect sensitive data, prevent potential losses, comply with regulations, and maintain customer trust.”
Jeremy Broome, Global Head of Talent at Visa, said:
“As a leader in consumer payments and an innovator in driving emerging payment solutions, Visa is well-positioned to be a leader on workforce development in critical areas such as payments cybersecurity. The Visa Payment Learning Program will not only allow for diversification of our workforce through seeking untapped talent but will actively foster a more equitable cybersecurity talent pipeline and industry.”
Currently available in the U.S. with plans “to expand globally, the Visa Payments Learning Program is comprised of several cross functional programs to include Visa University, Visa’s Apprenticeship Program, and Visa’s Military Talent Program to allow for diverse avenues of upskilling and creating new entry-pathways for untapped communities” through:
- Visa’s Apprenticeship Program: Through this program, an initial cohort received 16 weeks of specialist training, followed by a one-year apprenticeship, and will take part in the Visa’s Payments Cybersecurity Introductory Course. This apprenticeship provides diverse talent on-the-job training to build technical and business skills needed to succeed as cyber professionals.
- Visa’s Military Talent Program: A program that actively recruits and hires military veterans, reservists, and military spouses to provide them with training and reskilling. By creating a pipeline of military-affiliated talent, Visa has an opportunity to provide training in areas such as payments cybersecurity that builds on their existing skillsets and rich diversity of experience.
Subra Kumaraswamy, Chief Information Security Officer at Visa, said:
“We have designed the Visa Payments Learning Program with the initial focus on Cybersecurity in response to the White House’s appeal for support of unique career pathways in cybersecurity. Our vision is to expand the program globally, providing industry-recognized training and certification to new diverse cohorts and global communities.”