CARILEC is proud to have been a sponsor of the 2022 Cyber Safety Boot Camp, a free 4-day virtual event for youth 15-25 years old, in St. Lucia. This commendable initiative was undertaken by White Hat Technology Solutions, an information technology company, focusing on providing cybersecurity solutions to individuals and businesses in St. Lucia and beyond. The boot camp featured regional and international industry experts who instructed participants on ethical hacking concepts and terms, careers in cybersecurity and how they can become cybersecurity officers.
“CARILEC has intensified its Cyber Security capacity building efforts over the last few years, in correlation to the increase in Cyber threats and attacks in the Caribbean Region, specifically those within the energy sector. Through our strong collaborations with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Secretariat has been able to host several Cyber security webinars and workshops, to help Utilities strengthen their cybersecurity programs. We are committed to strengthening our youth capacities in STEM, to equip a future generation of Cyber professionals to help reduce the potential harm resulting from a cyberattack.” Dr. Cletus Bertin, Executive Director, CARILEC.
Mr. Tariq King, a scholarship recipient from this year’s boot camp, was also awarded for writing the best application essay on cybersecurity and its increasing importance in the Caribbean and globally. He eloquently captured the global security threat that the information technology industry faces, as well as every other major industry, given the world’s heavy reliance on technology. He made an appeal to young people especially, to educate themselves in this field, which could have life-saving benefits.
This year’s Cyber Safety Boot Camp was held from August 22nd to 25th, with 75 registrants, 11 sponsors, and six scholarships for more advanced cybersecurity training. CARILEC is thrilled to have contributed to this initiative and remains committed to improving the lives of the people of the Caribbean through advocacy, capacity building, and training.
