UAE cyber council widens talent pipeline with Fortinet

The UAE Cyber Security Council and Fortinet have initiated a cybersecurity internship programme to cultivate skilled Emirati professionals through structured training, practical experience, and industry mentorship. This marks the initial project under the council's Cyberani Practical Training Initiative, established jointly with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Fortinet serves as the technology and cloud computing partner for the first phase of the programme, which will be conducted at a UAE-based university. Selected students will gain access to hands-on laboratories, technical instruction, and guidance from Fortinet specialists. Moreover, participants will have the chance to earn the Fortinet NSE 4 FortiOS certification, covering essential cybersecurity domains such as firewall policies, virtual private networks, authentication, routing, security profiles, and threat protection.

The objective of this initiative is to align academic learning with the skills demanded by employers and security teams, while simultaneously exposing students to real-world cybersecurity environments. The partners aim to replicate this model for potential collaborations with additional universities and educational institutions nationwide.

Dr. Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, head of cyber security for the UAE Government, emphasized that investing in people is crucial for building a resilient national cybersecurity ecosystem. The Cyberani initiative and the partnership with Fortinet are designed to provide practical pathways for Emirati students to acquire knowledge, technical skills, and work experience.

Alain Penel, Fortinet's regional vice-president for the Middle East, Turkey, and CIS, highlighted that the internship embodies the partners' previous commitment to national cyber resilience by focusing on workforce development. Participants will receive professional mentorship, hone skills aligned with industry requirements, and enhance their preparedness for cybersecurity careers.

The internship program aligns with Fortinet's broader UAE strategy, which envisions training laboratories, "train the trainers" programs, university engagement, and professional certification pathways for approximately 10,000 national trainees. Fortinet's local investment plans factor in data sovereignty, threat intelligence, and protection of digital infrastructure as organizations increasingly rely on cloud services, artificial intelligence, and connected systems.

The UAE's strategy to expand the supply of locally trained specialists across areas like network security, cloud protection, threat monitoring, and incident response is underpinned by Cyberani. The initiative provides practical placements across government and industry, enabling students to apply their academic knowledge in working environments before entering the labor market.

Structured in alignment with Fortinet's global internship model, the UAE program combines project work, mentoring, and exposure to operational teams. The emphasis on certification and laboratories aims to equip participants with demonstrable technical skills, professional practices, and security operations experience. The planned center of excellence remains under exploration under the memorandum of understanding.

The internship is anticipated to bolster the talent pipeline, supporting the center by preparing students for roles in threat intelligence, security operations, and other specialized domains.