The University of the Aftermarket Foundation (UAF) recently announced its newest field of study for scholarships – IT/Cybersecurity – is available for applicants to specify as a potential career interest on the newly redesigned Automotive Aftermarket Scholarships Central website at www.automotivescholarships.com.

“Demand for IT and cybersecurity professionals is growing in the automotive aftermarket industry as companies large and small need to protect their financial information and intellectual property, among other critical tasks,” said Bob Egan, MAAP, UAF chairman.

The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies reports that the demand for cybersecurity experts is growing 12 times faster than the current U.S. job market. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates there will be as many as 3.5 million unfilled positions by 2021.

“Applicants can now simply click on the IT/Cybersecurity drop down on the scholarship application to indicate this as their planned course of study to qualify for the scholarships in this new field of study,” said Danielle Sonnefeld, co-chair of the UAF scholarship committee.  “By adding this new scholarship opportunity, UAF is responding to the alarming trend where the number and complexity of cyberattacks continue to threaten businesses, including those in the aftermarket.”

According to the 2020 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, in order to alleviate the skills shortage in the cybersecurity profession, recruitment needs to grow by 42 percent in the United States.

Steve Smith, CEO, GCommerce, Inc., a new UAF lifetime trustee and a leader in the information technology field concurred, “We applaud the University of the Aftermarket Foundation for taking this step to help address the need for automotive cybersecurity professionals. By incorporating this new scholarship opportunity into the Automotive Aftermarket Scholarship Central website, they will help interested students pursue careers in this growing aftermarket field.”