First Cyber Security edubadge of the Netherlands awarded to Fontys student Esmée

From online scams and fraud to hacking. More and more companies and people are victims of cybercrime. Countering this requires bright minds: cybersecurity professionals. ICT student Esmée Jongenelen is one such. She received the Netherlands' very first Cybersmart edubadge on 1 October 2024.

The Cybersmart edubadge is a digital and verifiable proof of Esmée's exceptional achievements in cybersecurity. ‘The fact that I am the first student in the Netherlands to receive it is very special to me. The badge allows you to demonstrate your expertise, for example through your resume and on LinkedIn." said Esmée in Bron, Fontys University of Applied Sciences' independent news medium. This is useful not only for a talent like Esmée, but also for companies looking for talented cybersecurity professionals. Because the demand for qualified staff is growing as fast as cybercrime.

And that Esmée is talented is underlined by the presentation of this badge, awarded with the highest attainable number of stars. Indeed, in addition to her HBO-ICT studies, she has made exceptional contributions within the cybersecurity community and gained many relevant additional experiences. Among other things, she has coached the Tilburg hacking team as team captain, organised several evenings of training in ethical hacking, actively participated in several competitions (Capture The Flag, CTF) and volunteered to work on cold case projects. Her dedication and obtained certifications (including the Certified Open Source Investigator and a Cisco certificate) underline her ‘Cybersmart’ status, said Ron Mélotte, project leader Cyber Security at Fontys.

For Esmée, all the things she does feelvery ordinary, but she is now starting to realise that she could be talented. ‘Being awarded the badge is a recognition for everything I'm doing and that what I do matters,’ she says. The latter is very important for students.

At a time when cybersecurity professionals are in growing demand to combat the ever-increasing threat of cybercrime, this edubadge helps companies find the right staff. Cybercrime costs Dutch companies and the government around 10 billion annually. But it is not only companies that have to deal with it. In 2023, 16 per cent of the population has been the victim of one or more online crimes or incidents. From online scams and fraud to hacking and more. (cbs.nl) Frens Vonken, managing director at Fontys ICT: ‘Security is a primary necessity of life for people. You can see that because it mobilises whole masses of people. In a world that is becoming increasingly digital, that security is also very important in the digital world.’

Ron Mélotte, project leader Cyber Security at Fontys, emphasises how important this new form of recognition is for the sector: ‘With this extra-curricular edubadge, we can better demonstrate which specific cyber security skills students have developed, something that is essential in a market crying out for cyber security experts.’

The talented student is immensely grateful to her three lecturers, including Ron Mélotte. 'They put me on the path to cybersecurity. I myself had never thought of going in this direction. Now that I appear to have a talent for it, I don't want anything else. This has really changed my life,’ she says passionately.

Digital trace investigator

‘After graduation, I would prefer to work as a digital trace investigator at the Criminal Investigation Department or the Netherlands Forensic Institute, because I want to help people and companies.’ Professional stalking, she calls online tracking of someone who commits (possible) cybercrime.

According to Esmée, cybersecurity specialists are desperately needed in the Netherlands. ‘We are still well informed, but because of AI, cybercriminals are getting smarter. There will come a time when we risk falling behind. There lies a nice challenge for our fields of expertise.’

She received the badge Tuesday night during Tilburg Tech Tuesday XXL, in front of lecturers, students and professionals from the work field. Including Ewoud Smit, manager Cyber Defence Operations Team at ASML, who had come especially to congratulate Esmée and underline the importance of her achievements. Ewoud: ‘This badge helps companies recognise talents, which ultimately leads to better protection of networks and systems against cyber attacks.’

Edubadge as valuable digital proof

An edubadge is a digital and verifiable proof of learning achievements, secured with metadata reflecting the level, scope and content of the achievements. Edubadges are issued all over the world. For the Dutch education sector, they are issued by Surf. For students, it provides an accessible way to show their knowledge and skills, and it can easily be added to platforms such as LinkedIn. At Fontys ICT, more than 150 students specialise in Cyber Security. The specific Cybersmart edubadge makes it easier for students to demonstrate additional cyber security competences towards the work field.

Author: Marieke Verbiesen, Bron