Willis News

Willis College Partnership with Fortinet to Create Employment Opportunities for Skilled IT Professionals in Ottawa

December 4, 2013

OTTAWA – December 4, 2013 – Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT) and Willis College of Business, Technology, Healthcare have announced the next step in their partnership to create employment for skilled IT professionals in Ottawa.

The new Advanced Network Security Professional Program will be run by Willis College to provide IT students with the skills they need to work in network security at Fortinet.

Fortinet, a California-based Fortune 500 company, first partnered with Willis College in 2010 to provide training in network systems IT security. To date, over 40 graduates of the program have been hired by Fortinet, including some in senior positions.

This innovative partnership is a trendsetter in the sector. “The partnership between industry and career colleges like the one announced today is exactly what our government is trying to accomplish with the Canada Job Grant,” said federal Employment and Social Development Minister Jason Kenney. “I want to congratulate Willis College and other career colleges for being responsive to labour market needs.”

“Willis College is very pleased to partner with Fortinet on this new program,” said Rima Aristocrat, President and CEO of Willis College. “We hear a lot about the skills gap that exists here in Canada, and it is not every day that you see educators and employers coming together to actively bridge that gap.”

Willis College is also creating partnerships with organizations such as the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) to identify other training needs in the IT sector.

Fortinet and Willis College jointly developed curriculum for the new program, and Fortinet has established a state-of-the-art training lab at Willis College’s Ottawa location. Classes are expected to begin in the New Year.

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For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:

Christina Skoblikowskyj
Willis College of Business, Technology, Healthcare
85 O’Connor Street, Ottawa, Ontario; K1P 5M6

Tel: (613) 233-1128

Email:

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