The 12-month programme will prepare graduates for the rigours of a role in the cybersecurity sector and real-world challenges.
Irish managed cloud and security services provider Ekco will create roles for five graduates in its Dublin HQ as part of a new Cybersecurity Graduate Programme.
The year-long programme will give participants hands-on experience in six key areas: security engineering, penetration testing, threat detection and response, cyber resiliency, security architecture and governance, risk management and compliance.
Established in 2015 by Eoin Blacklock and Jonathan Crowe as a cloud backup and disaster recovery business, Ekco is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland and has a presence in Europe, Asia and Africa.
The programme is being launched to address the need for additional highly skilled cybersecurity professionals, amid Ireland’s growing talent shortage. Starting off with five roles for graduates, Ekco has stated that this will grow to 10 roles in 2026, with the aim of doubling the intake year on year.
Working at the professional services practice, participants will work with Ekco’s security specialists across the fintech, construction, healthcare, retail and public sectors, learning how to apply cyber tools and solutions to real-world problems. There will also be an opportunity to earn industry-recognised certifications.
The company also plans to expand the programme to its cloud division, making it available to graduates based at its global locations including in the UK and Malaysia.
Declan Timmons, the managing director for professional services at Ekco, said: “Most of us have that one person or role that helped us up the career ladder and we want to be that step for graduates entering the workforce. We are opening the door to the next generation of cybersecurity talent, giving high-potential graduates the tools, mentorship and experience to make an impact on the modern technology landscape.
“It will provide an invaluable opportunity to experience first-hand how cybersecurity operates at scale in complex, fast-paced environments and enable graduates to see how their own contributions directly strengthen customers’ defences against real-world cyberthreats.
“In an increasingly competitive talent market, we plan to expand the technology talent pool with skilled graduates who will bring fresh thinking and new ideas to both our business and to the wider industry.”
Interested candidates can attend Ekco’s assessment day at the Sir John Rogerson Quay HQ on 8 October.
In July, Ekco announced the acquisition of Cork-based IT managed services provider Adapt IT, marking its sixth acquisition in two years and bringing total acquisition investment to €57m.
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