HPE focuses on diversity with 2016 Scholarship for Women Studying Information Security

Diversity is a tricky conversation. While everyone should have a fair chance at a job despite skin color, disability, gender, or sexual orientation, you can't force a certain group to enter an industry. In other words, percentages in a diversity report don't really tell the whole story.

The best approach to diversity is simply fostering opportunities for those that want it. Scholarships are a great option as it simply opens a door -- the recipient must walk through it. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has been supporting such a thing -- the Scholarship for Women Studying Information Security -- and today, it announces the number of 2016 recipients.

"Now in its third year of funding by HPE, the scholarship program has supported 46 collegiate women working to join the growing security industry, which is faced with a significant talent gap. In fact, the lack of access to skilled security resources was the number one concern of Security Operations Center leaders interviewed in a 2016 report from HPE. This ongoing scholarship reinforces the company's dedication to addressing that challenge by supporting talented women interested in building a career in IT security through academic funding and hands-on internship opportunities", says Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

HPE further says, "while the volume and cost of enterprise security breaches rise2, security and business leaders struggle to fill positions that allow them to better defend and protect their organizations. HPE is committed to doing its part to address these industry-wide challenges by providing resources in support of both education and training initiatives. To simultaneously ensure diversity, as women only represent ten percent of the information security workforce, 4 HPE committed a $250,000 four-year grant to the SWSIS scholarship program, initiated in 2014".

Hewlett Packard Enterprise shares the following schools where women are taking advantage of this scholarship.

• California Polytechnic State University -- San Luis Obispo
• California State University, Northridge
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Cornell University
• Dakota State University
• DePaul University
• Eastern Michigan University
• Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
• Ferris State University
• George Mason University
• Indiana University at Bloomington
• Marshall University
• Pennsylvania State University
• State University of New York at Albany
• University of Colorado at Boulder
• University of Maryland Baltimore County
• University of Maryland University College
• University of North Texas
• University of Northwestern
• University of South Florida
• Wilmington University
• Youngstown State University

In 2016, there are 16 new recipients, plus eight other women that are continuing from years past. This means there are 24 women that are gaining knowledge and becoming prepared to work in information security this year thanks to the scholarship. True, that number alone won't move the dial, but every bit counts.

Are you glad that Hewlett Packard Enterprise is creating opportunities for women in this industry? Tell me in the comments.

Photo credit: YURALAITS ALBERT / Shutterstock