Unlocking financial support: Tips for funding your cybersecurity certification
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- Enhanced productivity. 81% of cybersecurity professionals say their workload has increased, and 59% say cyber-threats against their organization have grown, according to Enterprise Strategy Group. Employee training helps them stay ahead of these emerging threats and work more efficiently as their duties expand.
- Less skills gaps. ...
Businesses need cybersecurity professionals, but they want to know those professionals are qualified. After all, getting security wrong can be costly for an organization, with the average cost of a data breach now at $4.45 million. That's why 87% of hiring managers say IT and cybersecurity credentials are important in determining if a candidate is qualified — second only to hands-on experience.
However, financial challenges can sometimes prevent you from obtaining the certifications you need to take your career to the next level. The cost of exam vouchers, training materials, and, if needed, live instruction can push your dreams of becoming a cyber defender out of budget. But don’t let funding be a roadblock to your future. This guide will help you understand different ways you can pay for your certification, including a template you can use to help make your case for funding.
Benefits of certification: A win-win for you and your organization
If you already have a job, talk to your employer and understand the benefits your organization may already have in place. Or, if there is no formal program to follow, you can make a case for your specific training to get buy-in from decision-makers
There are many reasons for a company to invest in employee training. Here are a few you can use to increase the chances of getting the nod of approval:
- Enhanced productivity. 81% of cybersecurity professionals say their workload has increased, and 59% say cyber-threats against their organization have grown, according to Enterprise Strategy Group. Employee training helps them stay ahead of these emerging threats and work more efficiently as their duties expand.
- Less skills gaps. Funding employee cybersecurity education makes it easier for companies to close problematic skills gaps. In fact, when asked how to address the skills gap, the same survey found that higher pay and incentives like paying for certifications were the top actions organizations could take.
- Significant ROI via employee retention. When it comes to satisfied cybersecurity employees, the data is equally clear: competitive salary, management’s commitment to cybersecurity, working with highly trained staff and support in advancing careers were the biggest factors. Empowering employees with skills they can use to advance their careers produces people who want to stay at a company — and that means significantly less time, money and resources spent recruiting and training new workers.
- Improved cybersecurity for the company. A secure organization should be the primary goal of any security team, and the data shows that the top action organizations can take to improve their cybersecurity program is increasing training for cybersecurity and IT professionals.
Making the case for funding
Now that you know the general benefits of training to your organization, the next step is to determine if your company already has a training funding program. If they do, you want to gather some specific talking points about the training you are considering:
- Present a thorough breakdown. This requires researching and gathering relevant information about the specific certification or training program. Knowing what’s included is important, but you also want to understand the program’s credibility — and the new skills and knowledge it helps you develop. What specific outcomes will you bring back to the job? If you’re training for a certification, a detailed exam outline should be available that covers all the domains and objectives you should have mastered to get certified.
- Address the issue from your employer’s perspective. Let them know you understand their position with statements like, “I understand we need cyber defense skills to better meet the needs of X client, and I’m hoping I can bring those to the table after this training.” You can pull in additional information to round out your case, such as, “ISACA research shows that cloud knowledge is the biggest current hard skills gap in the industry, and this certification will help bring those skills in-house so we can better optimize our upcoming cloud transition — without needed to spend as much money on external experts.”
- Understand the approval process at your company. Even though a manager may be able to agree to pay for your certification, there could be a budget approval process that involves human resources or another department. It’s best to understand the process and timelines you may have to navigate before getting an official “yes.” Also, understand the limits of the program and wheter the training you want exceeds those limits. Maybe your organization will only pay for part of the training, in which case you can say, “Since this certification will benefit both me and the company, I’m willing to pay for X% of it out of pocket.”
Lastly, investigate different pricing options and include them in your talking points. Most training providers offer group rates, so training with a co-worker or an entire may help your company fit your proposal into their overall budget.
What should you learn next?
Crafting a convincing proposal
This is where all your work comes together. Your proposal letter makes the case for why your company should help pay for the course and documents your request, giving advocates something they can present to decision-makers. A convincing proposal should include:
- Details about the certification you want to earn, such as its name, where you can receive training
- The specific skills it gives you
- How each of these skills benefits your organization
- The cost of preparation and the exam voucher
- When you need a decision, such as the number of days before the course begins.
You also want to counter any potential challenges in your letter and in discussions with those who can give you the go-ahead. This is where understanding any existing processes is key. For example, if the company says it doesn’t have the funds to cover the full amount, you can include alternate options like group training at a lower per-person cost or paying a portion out of pocket.
Or the company may fear you’ll take your new skills and jump to a competitor. To ease this potential concern, you can offer to stay for a minimum guaranteed amount of time, such as a year. If you leave before the period expires, they can either take the amount they paid for the course out of your last couple of paychecks or require you to repay them in cash. Alternatively, some training companies like Infosec offer a Knowlege Transfer Guarantee, which assures companies that if an employee does leave after training, another employee can take the training for free.
You can also download our Infosec boot camp justification templates for templates specific to Infosec training or modify the sample proposal below you make your case to your employer:
Dear (APPROVER)
I would like to take a course/earn a certification on [name of certification or course].
I feel that the return on the investment would be significant because this training aligns directly with the priorities of our [organization/department] and my personal [performance plan/objectives] for this year. The following elements of the course are particularly relevant to our situation:
-
- Element 1
- Element 2
- Element 3
Through research, I’ve found a good value [classroom or online course] that starts on [month, day] in [CITY/ONLINE]. I’ve attached the course brochure. The course will be provided by [training institution], which is a leading training organization with experience in all aspects of empowering organizations and their employees to defend digital assets.
I believe my attendance will be a cost-effective investment for our company. In addition to the skills covered by the course, I will have the opportunity to network with people from other organizations to exchange ideas, best practices and lessons learned. After the course, I will be able to apply the knowledge I’ve gained and share and apply the insights I’ve picked up.
If necessary, I can arrange for others to cover my responsibilities during the days I am attending the course or taking exams. Additionally, if we decide to send a group to the course, we can save [X%] by taking advantage of group discounts.
I am seeking approval for the course registration fee of $X,XXX. To receive the pre-course materials, I would need your decision at least 14 days before the course starts.
Please approve this proposal to attend, as I’m confident in the significant ROI it will bring [name of company].
Thank you for your consideration,
(signed)
What should you learn next?
Funding sources in the private sector
If your company doesn't have a training program in place, or you’re not sure, you can find additional information around common programs and alternate ways to fund your training below.
Education benefits management programs
Some private sector organizations, called education benefits management companies, may already have a relationship with your company. For example, Ed Assist and Guild Education often establish partnerships with organizations to help employees get the training they need.
The process is relatively straightforward when your company uses an education benefits management provider. First, you choose a course you’ve found or one from the company’s approved list. Then, the education benefits company facilitates payment directly from your organization to the provider of the course or certification.
It’s best to ask your HR manager which education opportunities already exist in your company.
Tax benefits for training
A company can use tax exclusions to reduce its tax burden if it invests in employee education. With a tax exclusion, your organization would simply exclude the amount of money it spent on your education from its taxable income. For instance, if your organization’s taxable income was $2,500,000 for the year, and they spent $5,000 on your cybersecurity certification, their taxable income would drop to $2,495,000.
As long as the course “has a reasonable relationship to your business,” it could qualify. Your company can exclude up to $5,250 of the educational assistance they provide to each employee. Of course, you should confirm these benefits with your organization’s finance and legal representatives.
To take full advantage of these benefits, your employer can:
- Enroll multiple employees at the same time
- Time the course in a way that maximizes benefits to its tax budget. For instance, if the company made more than it expected to in 2024, it could have you enroll in December 2024. In that way, it can use employee education exclusions to reduce its tax burden for that year.
Funding sources for veterans
Veterans often make good cybersecurity professionals because they often have experience when it comes to defending an organization from threats — both digital and otherwise. This makes it easier for them to “think like an attacker.” Also, thanks to their training, vets are often skilled problem-solvers and work well under pressure — both of which are great soft skills to have when fighting cyber threats. Lastly, they may already have security clearance, which can be beneficial to employers.
The GI Bill, which helps vets pay for their education, can cover some or all the expenses associated with a certification or cybersecurity course. The Department of Homeland Security and Hire Our Heroes also offer cybersecurity courses for veterans. If you’re a vet, you can leverage these programs to have some or all your tuition paid covered.
Another organization, Vets in Tech, is specifically designed to support vets as they transition into the tech workforce. Vets in Tech connects vets with employers and offers educational programs to prepare them for success in the tech arena.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is intended to improve the American public workforce system by helping those with barriers to employment get high-quality jobs. It also helps employers hire and keep skilled employees. The WIOA partners with the Departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services to enable a wider range of people to access the employment they need.
To access funding for cybersecurity certification through this program, you can contact your local American Job Center via the CareerOneStop website. In the search box, enter your zip code and then contact one of the organizations in the search results.
Funding sources for students and job seekers
You can still use other avenues if you don’t have funding from your organization or other sources.
Scholarship opportunities
The course or certification provider may offer scholarship opportunities that you can take advantage of. You can check with your provider to see which scholarships are available and how to qualify for them. For example, Infosec Accelerate is a scholarship and reward program that helps pay for Infosec Boot Camp fees.
In addition, Infosec Affirm makes it possible to spread out your payments over a period of time. In this way, you don’t have to pay for your entire course at once, which may make it easier to weave into your budget.
Another option is to apply for a grant. Some organizations provide grants to people looking to further their education. Grants.gov has a list of publicly funded grants that could pay for your certification or support your organization’s efforts to get you certified.
Infosec Accelerate award winner
Jade Brown earned a scholarship from Infosec to gain the training she needed to enter the cybersecurity field. She earned her bachelor’s degree in linguistics with a focus on East Asian studies. In her studies, she crossed paths with intelligence professionals who offered their expertise and experience. This gave Brown a deeper understanding of how hackers infiltrate networks in China and plan to assault information systems in the U.S. as well.
Seeing the importance of cybersecurity, Brown started pursuing certifications, including the GIAC’s Cyber Threat Intelligence (GCTI) certification, which she added to her Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) cert. She plans to use her credentials to join an organization supporting her goals and talents.
What should you learn next?
Overcoming difficulties and pursuing your dreams
The most important thing is to not give up! Education is an investment that returns both professional satisfaction and high cybersecurity salaries.
You can rely on Infosec to make your journey easier. We Train thousands of students every year, and we know how to assist you with almost any issue, whether it is pricing, budget, location or something else.
There’s no shortage of different ways to learn and progress. You can read blogs, view webinars, find books in the library, listen to podcasts, network and more.
Dr. Chanel Suggs is a prototypical example of someone who has focused on success and achieved it through education. She grew up in a rural environment heavy on obstacles and short on opportunity. Along her professional journey, she fought through various forms of abuse. She believes the key is to focus on bettering yourself and making the most of your circumstances and talents.
By reaching out to your employer, writing a proposal, seeing the situation from their perspective, and pursuing other funding avenues, you can follow in the footsteps of Dr. Suggs, Jade Brown, and others as you stride toward a lucrative career in cybersecurity.
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