Twelve employees in the IT, Line and Plant Departments at the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA or Authority) began in December, the first of several courses over the next several months dedicated to helping strengthen the Authority’s cybersecurity resilience. The courses provided through SANS Institute, an information security organization committed to creating a safer global community, are funded through a Department of Interior grant, and they will be completed virtually, further helping to mitigate costs.
The first course in the series, SEC275: Foundations – Computer, Technology and Security, features over 120 hours of comprehensive hands-on-labs experience, training by industry experts and practical exercises that help simulate real-world scenarios. Upon completion, WAPA employees will receive a GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies (GFACT) certification which demonstrates their knowledge of essential foundational cybersecurity concepts.
“One of the things I really appreciate about this course is that while we are diving into a wide array of important cybersecurity topics, there are also a lot of key reminders of the essential day-to-day processes that should be happening to ensure optimal network security,” said Shenique Samuel, network assistant at the Authority.
The Authority has highlighted on multiple occasions its commitment to cybersecurity preparedness, especially as more and more mission-critical data moves to the cloud. Ongoing employee training is and will continue to be paramount to ensuring the Authority’s networks remain protected.
“The SEC275: Foundations – Computer, Technology and Security course marks the first of many training initiatives we plan to commence as part of our ongoing efforts to invest in our employees and protect the Authority’s infrastructure. We are extremely grateful to our federal partners who provided the funding to facilitate this training that will give our employees actionable education to make a difference within our organization and to regain the community’s trust in securing their information,” said Julius Aubain, chief information officer at WAPA.
As WAPA works diligently to prioritize its cyber security through employee training and software upgrades, customers are encouraged to utilize online payment systems for an easier way to pay monthly bills. The Authority’s online payment platform can be found at:
https://virg-egov.aspgov.com/Click2GovCX/index.html
