Blaze Fire Games and EC-Council Academia Introduce an E-sports and Cybersecurity Program to Institutions Across the Nation
TAMPA, Fla., (July 13, 2022) : With as many as 227 million Americans playing video games at any given moment, “gaming” has truly become a means of communication, competition, and strategy. With advancing technologies supporting gaming communities across the world to enhance speed, efficiency and experience, information technology has become a natural skill for many gamers.
EC-Council Academia and Blaze Fire Games have recently partnered to focus on creating educational pathways that harness gamers’ knowledge and interest in technology to employable cybersecurity skills. These skills align to critical red team and blue team functions within entry-level roles in the cybersecurity industry. This partnership, which is the first of its kind, takes a unique approach that encourages secondary and post-secondary institutions to capture existing interest in E-sports and gaming, pairing it with entry-level cybersecurity education and industry certifications.
There are approximately 614 colleges and universities that currently offer esports scholarships. Of those institutions, 17 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are currently offering prospective students who pursue a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity the opportunity to receive a micro-credentialing certification in gaming as well. Although this career path is a new venture for some, for students, it is an opportunity to pursue careers in broadcasting, communications, programming, air traffic control and more.
“As EC-Council continues to explore innovative ways to introduce cybersecurity education and career pathways, we are excited to announce our partnership with Blaze Fire Games,” says Wesley Alvarez, Director of Academics for EC-Council. “We will now offer a collaborative esports and cybersecurity academic program to combine these two areas, aligning the technologies and functions of esports and gaming with cybersecurity.”
The Blaze Fire Games and EC-Council esports and cybersecurity track will focus on the intricacies of gaming and cybersecurity, covering critical aspects of both fields. The track includes four industry certifications by EC-Council, so students will also have credentials to add to their resumes as they pursue their careers.
“Blaze Fire Games is excited about this creative and innovative groundbreaking partnership with EC-Council,” says Isiah Reese, President and CEO of Blaze Fire Games. “This career pathway agreement allows our company and partners to bring new diverse talent into the robust multibillion-dollar gaming esports industry. This customized dedicated education content aligns directly with our commitment to addressing the cybersecurity and video game design esports industry shortage by upskilling a population with best-in-class training and academic programs.”
Increasingly, more young people are deciding to choose professions that are outside of normal societal expectations to pursue careers that they genuinely enjoy. In addition, established professionals who are seeking other career alternatives are registering with online institutions that offer education programs that can contribute to increased pay and upward mobility. The strategy behind the incorporation of gaming within cybersecurity, IT, robotics, and business technology is to demonstrate fluidity and connectivity among STEM interests.
About EC-Council
EC-Council’s mission is to help organizations, educators, governments, and individuals address global workforce problems by developing and curating world-class cybersecurity education programs and certifications while providing cybersecurity services to some of the largest businesses around the world. EC-Council is trusted by seven of the Fortune 10, 47 of the Fortune 100, the Department of Defense, global intelligence communities, NATO, and more than 2,000 of the best universities, colleges, and training companies. EC-Council programs have made their way to more than 140 countries and have set the bar in cybersecurity education. To learn more, visit https://www.eccouncil.org/.
About Blaze Fire Games
Blaze Fire Games is a licensed digital content provider, which taps into a variety of creative talent and skills across the globe. The company aims to connect a diverse group of participants by introducing them to a career path where they will learn to compete in a gaming environment. Blaze Fire Games engages in cross-cultural experiences by offering entertainment events in the electronic sports (esports) industry, to include education career pathway certifications, a multiplayer team league and individual player competitive esports tournaments. For more information, please visit https://blazefiregames.com/#!/
Contact:
LaToya Carter
Public Relations Manager
[email protected]
505-341-3228 x271
