Freely subscribe to our NEWSLETTER

Research by the London School of Economics during lockdown revealed that organisations’ approaches to training have shifted, with firms increasingly taking the quick-fix approach through recruitment rather than a broader training approach across wider teams. The total number of days trained per trainee in the UK dropped from 7.8 in 2011 to 6.4 in 2017, a fall of 18%, while total training expenditure per trainee fell by 17%. The decline applies across a variety of sectors, including cyber security.

This trend has worsened during the pandemic, which has forced many companies to either to scale back spending or simply to try to meet the challenge of delivering existing training programmes and course materials to a newly remote workforce.

The skills challenge is supported by the latest data from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, which revealed that 30% of cyber firms have found it hard to fill generalist roles (where employees are expected to work in a range of cyber security areas). Shortages also exist in specialist roles, senior management roles, penetration testing and security architecture – all pointing to a shortfall in employee development.

The UK Cyber Security Council is supporting its push for a renewed commitment with the creation of a variety of tools and resources to support organisation and their cybersecurity professionals. These resources include the Council’s career and forthcoming qualification frameworks. Both are interactive guides to help organisations develop clear and realistic criteria for hiring, and to help practitioners plot viable career progression routes as they follow a professional development plan.