DCMS Cyber Security Skills Workshop

(Time: 14.00-15.30)

Over the last 5 years, DCMS cyber skills programmes have been inspiring young people to take an interest in cyber security and encouraging them to consider a career in the cyber profession. DCMS are now considering how to take these programmes further, starting in September 2021 at the beginning of the next academic year.

This techUK hosted session will see attendees discuss DCMS’s emerging plans and to seek industry views on the next development phase of the cyber skills programme, which aims to ensure the UK has the cyber security skills needed to continually enhance the UK’s resilience against growing cyber threats. Clearly, programmes can only be effective if we work in partnership with educators, cyber professionals, industry and others who care about these important issues.

The session be attended by a group of people from across the education system and the cyber security sector. The DCMS cyber security skills policy leads will outline the policy context and their initial proposals, followed by an open discussion with attendees.

If you have any questions or are unable to attend but still want to be involved, please contact [email protected] to be added to a mailing list to keep you informed of our progress and future discussion opportunities.

Book your space on this workshop here.

Background to DCMS Cyber Security Skills

Working through the UK Government’s 2016-2021 UK National Cyber Security Strategy, DCMS have championed a range of interventions that support young people, career changers and the cyber security profession more widely to learn cyber security skills and access cyber security jobs. This includes:

• Building the evidence base and understanding of the continuing UK cyber security skills gap and shortage, focusing on where needs lie and defining a starting point through which to measure progress. This includes the Cyber Skills in the UK Labour Market and Sectoral Analysis research
• Inspiring and developing the next generation of cyber security professionals through the HMG flagship programme, CyberFirst including Cyber Discovery. This programme has engaged with over 116,000 young people, schools and employers to provide young people with cyber security learning and careers education
• Supporting innovation in the cyber security training market and the numerous offerings that exist that look to address the skills gap and shortage from diverse perspectives. Previously, this has included the Cyber Skills Immediate Impact Fund
• Establishing the infrastructure to bring together the UK’s cyber security professional landscape through the creation of the new UK Cyber Security Council. This independent body will set standards and define career and learning paths for the cyber security profession

The efforts of educators, employers and other dedicated people have been essential to designing, developing and implementing this work. DCMS is keen to ensure that we continue to shape programmes by taking on a wide range of views and challenges into the next stage of our strategic thinking - making sure Government intervention is both effective and appropriate.

DCMS wants to understand the ideal roles, responsibilities and partnerships that can be developed to ensure we increase the scale and reach of the quality work that is already ongoing. We further want to support the development of new, innovative activity that contributes to an effective cyber security workforce - in particular, tackling diversity and ensuring access to opportunities in the profession across the UK.

Register to attend this workshop here.