One of the most critical cybersecurity market differentiators continues to be certification - proof for customers that a solution provider can bridge a growing skills gap in the one area that can prove to be a show-stopper.
"The industry-wide shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals continues to be a critical issue that directly impacts an organization's ability to protect its assets and respond effectively to evolving threats," Fortinet found earlier this year, in its 2025 Cloud Security Report.
"The findings reveal that 95 percent of respondents are moderately to extremely concerned about the ongoing cybersecurity skills shortage, highlighting the significant strain it places on organizations as they struggle to recruit and retain the talent needed to address increasingly complex cybersecurity challenges."
Enter Fortinet.
How The NSE Training Program Boosts Solution Providers
Fortinet's NSE Training Program equips IT solution providers with validated expertise, boosts partner benefits, accelerates sales cycles, and unlocks lucrative managed security service revenue through enhanced pricing opportunities and industry credibility.
The rapid rise of AI and generative AI is transforming cybersecurity, intensifying both attack sophistication and the need for advanced defense strategies, according to McKinsey & Co.
Organizations face escalating risks and compliance costs, driving a $2 trillion opportunity for cybersecurity providers who innovate with AI-infused products and adapt go-to-market strategies to shifting buyer priorities, the report states.
A Differentiated Approach
Fortinet gives solution providers a step-by-step pathway to strengthen NSE certification credentials.
- The program begins with the Fortinet Certified Fundamentals in Cybersecurity (FCF), which validates entry-level cybersecurity skills.
- Next, the Fortinet Certified Associate (FCA) in Cybersecurity distinction confirms the ability to perform core operations on a FortiGate device, supported by training in common Fortinet features.
- The Fortinet Certified Professional (FCP) in Network Security offers three tracks that validate skills in deploying, managing, and analyzing Fortinet SecOps devices, network security appliances, and public cloud environments.
- At a more advanced level, the Fortinet Certified Solution Specialist (FCSS) program spans five areas: Network Security, OT Security, SecOps, Advanced SASE, and Advanced Public Cloud Security.
- Finally, the Fortinet Certified Security Expert (FCX) confirms expert knowledge in designing, configuring, and troubleshooting complex network security environments. Each certification level requires coursework, exams, and successful completion to earn credentials.
To keep solution providers up to date with courses as they are offered, Fortinet provides a Training Institute newsletter with details on self-paced study, in-person classes, and other program updates. The company also provides video newsletters and RSS feeds with real-time updates as they happen.
With the cybersecurity skills gap continuing to loom over IT, solution providers immediately gain not just technical skills but marketable ones - as well as the ability to earn more and compete better.