The Government is to offer grant funding to enable universities offering cyber security qualifications, and enhanced opportunities for graduates.
Speaking at an event to mark the third anniversary of the launch of the UK Cyber Security Strategy, Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude MP said that the new grant funding was being alloted for universities in Newcastle, Birmingham, London and Liverpool “to develop and demonstrate new resources to improve cyber security education, and learning”.
He claimed that with firms “calling out for people with cyber security skills” with demand that is only going to grow, this was essential with other measures.
The first new measure is a cyber mentoring scheme which will let employees act as mentors to students who are interested in a cyber security career. Maude said that this will offer computer science graduates the opportunity to gain practical experience to guide them throughout their career in cyber security, and include advice on qualification requirements, training opportunities, help with Cvs, interview preparation and work placements.
The second new venture is with the Cyber Security Challenge, and specifically its camps, which will be expanded and be provided in association with universities on a regional basis to improve the employment rates of their computer science graduates.
Maude said: “These camps will offer participants hands-on experience of cyber security over several days and give them the opportunity to gain an industry-recognised foundation and qualification. Most culminate with a competition to offer all skills in a real life scenario.
“Perhaps most valuable is the opportunity to meet other cyber security enthusiasts and talk to well known names from household companies, but we also need to pass the net beyond academia.”
