Teenagers from 14 above are being encouraged to register their interest in taking part in a cyber security schools scheme. Students, teachers, industry members and volunteers can register their interest in advance at https://hmgcyberschools.com/.
The training and certification body SANS, BT Security, the social learning company FutureLearn and Cyber Security Challenge UK have been confirmed as partners to deliver the scheme.
At the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Minister of State for Digital Matt Hancock said: “Our Cyber Schools Programme aims to inspire the talent of tomorrow and give thousands of the brightest young minds the chance to learn cutting-edge cyber security skills alongside their secondary school studies. I encourage all those with the aptitude, enthusiasm and passion for a cyber security career to register for what will be a challenging and rewarding scheme.
Up to £20m has been made available. The scheme is to offer hundreds of hours of extra-curricular content designed to fill a four-year programme. It will be delivered in modules and students aged up 18 can join at any time providing they meet criteria. Older students, for example, may work through the content and challenges at a faster pace.
The UK Government target is for at least 5,700 teenagers to be trained by 2021. A pilot year will be launched in the autumn.
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Nigel Harrison, acting Chief Executive of Cyber Security Challenge UK said: “To plug the critical cyber security skills gap that is leaving organisations across the country vulnerable to attack, it is crucial that the younger generation are educated with the right knowledge and skillsets to fill these vacant roles.”
Claire Stead, of Smoothwall, a web filtering and internet security company, welcomed the scheme as a great opportunity to get children involved in what she termed the complex – but increasingly important and relevant world – of cyber security. She said: “According to a report recently, Europe is due to face a shortage of cyber security experts by 2022 – this new injection of £20m by the government is a real chance for the children of the UK to be at the vanguard of protecting hospitals, governments, businesses and indeed the whole country.
“Unless we take a look at the grass roots, this gap won’t be plugged any time soon. As coding was introduced in the national curriculum only relatively recently, it’s reassuring to see the government taking cyber issues even more seriously and we would actively encourage all students, teachers and industry members to shore up their digital skills and knowledge of cyber-related issues. As the security world is constantly shifting and IT becomes embedded in most of what we do, we cannot afford to be a nation of laggards in what is sure to be one of the most competitive and important industries for years to come.”
And Rob Norris, VP Head of Enterprise and Cyber Security EMEIA at Fujitsu said: “It is evident that there is a shortage of talent in security at the moment, and we can’t circumvent this. In fact, by 2022, it is expected that Europe will see a shortage of 350,000 IT security staff, and we can’t afford to continue to spiral in this way. This latest programme from the DCMS is a welcomed step in helping tackle the problem, giving 6,000 students the skills and capabilities they need to fill a role that is an essential part of the digital age we now live in.
“The need to nurture and grow this talent is imperative, as 71pc of businesses stated that a skills shortage has been directly responsible for measurable damage. It cannot all be left to government programmes, however. Companies too need to realise that they need to invest in young talent through apprenticeships and graduate schemes, for example. That way they can bring on talent that has an aptitude for security and then nurture their skills in a way that works for the company.
“It’s also critical for experts in the industry to share their own stories and insights as to what security is really like as a profession, so students can start to see it as an accessible profession that brings significant career choices and opportunities. Casting the industry in this light starts brings to life the purpose of cyber security, inspiring next generation of experts to join the industry.”
