The IT and cyber security association (ISC)² is offering free certification and education for up to 100,000 cyber career pursuers through its new entry-level certification. It’s called ‘100K in the UK‘.
There has never been a better or more urgent time to start a cyber career, the association says. The UK is one of the largest cyber career markets in Europe, with more than 300,000 active practitioners. However, the UK has a cyber workforce shortage of more than 33,000, with UK government figures stating that at least 17,500 new people need to enter the industry annually, just to maintain numbers.
Clar Rosso, CEO, (ISC)² says: “The cybersecurity profession needs the next generation to join its ranks now more than ever. Unfortunately, until now, individuals looking for their first cybersecurity job often do not know where to start, what to expect, or how to convince employers to give them a chance. To address this, we have developed the (ISC)² entry-level cybersecurity certification to be a trusted endorsement of an individual and their foundational knowledge, skills and abilities. Through the 100K in the UK scheme, we are committed to giving 100,000 cybersecurity career pursuers the opportunity to achieve this certification for free, making a powerful contribution that positively impacts the UK’s cybersecurity workforce challenge today, not years from now.”
On the scheme, Simon Hepburn, CEO of the membership body the UK Cyber Security Council, says: “Cybersecurity certifications that validate young professionals and career changers looking for their first role are essential to delivering a much-needed expansion of the UK cybersecurity talent pool. We welcome all initiatives to attract more first-time cybersecurity professionals to the profession. The (ISC)² 100K in the UK scheme is a timely industry commitment given the strong need to recruit for entry- and junior-level cybersecurity positions which are outstripping the workforce supply by a significant margin.”
The scheme is open to all UK residents who do not hold an (ISC)² cyber certification. Typical takers may be recent graduates, those looking to make a career changer, and IT people looking to move into cyber. Once enrolled, you go through the online course. Participants receive a voucher to cover the cost of the (ISC)² entry-level cyber certification exam, which they can pursue as soon as they feel ready. The exam can only be taken in-person at an authorised Pearson VUE test centre in the UK.
After completing the exam, candidates will become full members of (ISC)² with access to professional development resources.
The (ISC)² entry-level cybersecurity certification exam evaluates candidates on five subject areas:
Security Principles
Business Continuity (BC), Disaster Recovery (DR) and Incident Response Concepts
Access Controls Concepts
Network Security
For more about the scheme, including registration instructions, and terms and conditions, visit https://cloud.connect.isc2.org/100K-inthe-UK.
