The University of Glamorgan has teamed up with American company AccessData to offer the first courses in the world to be accredited by the leading Computer Forensic software company.
From September 2009 both the University’s undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in Computer Forensics will carry the unique accreditation from AccessData.
Paula Thomas, Head of Computer Science Division explained, “We are the first University in the world to work in partnership with AccessData in this way. This accreditation will give our students a head start when it comes to finding employment in the Computer Forensics industry.”
AccessData delivers court-validated, state-of-the-art computer forensic, password cracking and decryption solutions to law enforcement, government agencies and corporations around the world. Recognized as an industry leader, AccessData provides unsurpassed training in the field of computer forensics, and its ACE certification is one of the most sought after designations among industry professionals.
Paula continued, “The AccessData software is the industry standard, and anyone working in the sector has to gain proficiency working with this software. In most cases employers have to send new staff on the training courses run by AccessData to get them up to standard.”
AccessData’s professional certification (ACE®) will now be incorporated into Glamorgan’s courses so that students will be fully certified on graduation with no need for costly further training from their employers. An assessor from AccessData will visit the University each year to formally provide students with their certifications.
Keith Lockhart, Vice President of Training at AccessData commented, “We are proud to be working with the University of Glamorgan, and commend them on their real-world approach to computer forensics education. Their ACE certified graduates will undoubtedly have a leg up in the work place, as employers in this space would prefer to put their new employees to work straight away with the confidence that they can handle the technology and utilize it to its fullest capacity.”
The University of Glamorgan’s Computer Forensics team is recognised internationally for the high profile investigative work it does for law enforcement agencies, government and commercial organisations.
Simon Steggles Director of Disklabs® and a potential employer of computer forensics students said, “Graduates with degrees or Masters from good universities are essential in the world of computer forensics. As an employer, a common problem we encounter is that once a graduate is employed, we must send them to attend expensive courses which enable them to do the ‘hands-on’ work we require.
Having gained ACE status through the University of Glamorgan, these graduates are now an obvious choice for available positions and will be top of the list for most if not all employers. Disklabs is proud to be working closely with Paula Thomas, Head of Computer Science at the Faculty of Advanced Technology at the University and congratulates them on their progressive approach to the teaching of computer forensics.”
Mark Larson Forensics Manager at CCL Forensics agreed, “It is great to hear that a leading university in the digital forensics field is able to offer certification in one of the leading forensic tools. Lack of experience in the use of the industry’s standard tools can present a major challenge for a graduate entering the field. Glamorgan’s ability to offer AccessData certification will give their graduates a real advantage when they want to enter the digital forensics field as practitioners.”