Training

Online cyber diploma

by Mark Rowe

A ‘cyber academy’ has launched #ProjectThankYou in an effort to make the UK more cyber resilient.

The London-based Global Cyber Academy, delivering formal accredited, online Diploma education to working-adult students, begins with its first cohort of UK-based students this October. The Academy will be providing a flat 40pc course fee reduction for every single UK Blue Lights or Armed Forces application – including for veterans.

Chief Executive of the Academy, Richard Bingley, said: “Money is tight for emergency workers, and our armed forces, and for the government too. Yet, the UK economy and infrastructure are now under industrial-scale threats from cyber-criminals and external state-backed harassment. We’ve got a duty as educators to step up and help.

“There’s little point just educating a tiny fraction of the workforce. Our Academy is in a unique position to offer mass accredited education across our entire security and emergency-services base, and that’s exactly what we’re offering to do.

“The only way to stop industrial-level cyber crime is to introduce industrial-level education, particularly for those who are tasked to defend us. Our Academy is thankfully in a position to give something back and in our own way say a big ‘thank you’ to public servants who help look after us.”

The Academy came up with the idea after trying to apply to be registered with the UK Ministry of Defence’s Enhanced Learning Credits (ELCAS) scheme. This would have enabled service personnel to access funding and earn advanced credits for studying.

“But because our Academy was only formed earlier this year it did not qualify for ELCAS admission. We didn’t hit the two-year operating rule. It was a bizarre situation, because certified police investigators, senior qualified academics and international book authors had written and filmed our course content. Also, our Diploma programmes are issued by a UK-Ofqual-approved awarding body, therefore they go through tons of formal quality vetting. Yet we couldn’t reach in to our own natural audience. The situation within UK policing is similar where only a selected few receive funded cyber training. So, we all just said ‘forget it’, we set this thing up to help people, and help build a resilient society, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do!”

The Level 3 Diploma (online) in Cyber Security Management and Operations begins on October 9, and enrols monthly thereafter. Modules include: Threat and Risk; Network Architecture, Communications and Protocols; Mobile Data Risks and IoT; Investigations and Incident Response; Solutions: Future-Proofing your Business; EU GDPR and Data Security.

A Level 4 Diploma (online) in Cyber Security begins on October 16, and enrols monthly. Modules include: Threat and Risk; Network Security and Data communications; Databases and Programming; Incident Response, Investigations and Forensics; Security Strategy Laws, Policies and Implementation; Banking and Finance (elective) or Cyber Wars (elective).

A Level 5 Diploma covering Cryptography is available from February which maps directly into a final year Cyber Security degree programme at a UK University.

#ProjectThankyou applicants receive a course fee discount of 40pc on all Diploma applications up to January 31.

Delivery is self-paced and flexible with videos, audio, exercises and real-world formal assessments.

“Basically, wherever you are in the world, you can log on and learn. We have students based in most of the world’s seven continents. Our WhatsApp student chat groups are keeping us awake at night!”

Academic support class workshops are run every other month in London and filmed for those who can’t attend. Industry network meetings with policy-makers and key recruiters are held each month in London.

Will students get a job at the end? A recent study of Chief Information Officers reported a “recruitment crisis” in cyber security. The UK economy now spends an estimated £7bn on cyber security. This figure is approaching £200bn globally. These stats are likely to grow even more exponentially now that EU GDPR is in force.

“Although no promises can be made, most public sector and business organisations are massively recruiting into cyber and information security roles. Existing security professionals need to be in an educational position to exploit this sea-change. The validation of a formal cyber Diploma and close contact with recruiters is really going to help an individual’s market position, for sure.

“These courses provide a pathway for the individual to stay relevant and upskill, and for our country to be much more cyber resilient. In difficult times, this surely is a win-win scenario.”

For course details visit the Global Cyber Academy website: https://www.globalcyberacademy.com/.

Related News

  • Training

    Cyber days in London

    by Mark Rowe

    Artificial Intelligence, the IOT (Internet of Things) and compliance with GDPR are among the topics for (ISC)2 – the US-based not-for-profit membership…

  • Training

    Infosec defence date

    by Mark Rowe

    Organisers of the annual UK information security conference and exhibition Infosecurity Europe have launched a technical research conference ‘Infosecurity Intelligent Defence’. It’s…

  • Training

    Danish work offer

    by msecadm4921

    Skills for Security is inviting applications from fire and security systems apprentices who would like to undertake a fully-funded, two-week work placement…

Newsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay on top of security news and events.

© 2024 Professional Security Magazine. All rights reserved.

Website by MSEC Marketing