EDITOR’S QUESTION
HOW IMPORTANT
IS CYBERSECURITY
EDUCATION FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE
FOR CLOSING THE
CYBERSKILLS GAP?
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T
he majority of UK parents are in the
dark when it comes to advising their
children on a career in cybersecurity,
research from global cybersecurity training
provider, SANS Institute, shows. The findings
reveal that 63% of parents in the UK would
either not be able to answer questions on
how to get a job in the cybersecurity industry
or just didn’t know if they would be able to;
61% report they are not very aware or not
aware at all of any career opportunities.
This contributes to the wider industry issue
within the UK of the ever-increasing skills
gap in technology and cybersecurity.
With the industry crying out for new blood
and professionals to address the 51% of
UK businesses and charities that have a
basic cybersecurity skills gap, educating and
incentivising school children to take up a
career in cybersecurity is considered crucial
to the survival of the industry and, even more
critically, the security of the nation online.
James Lyne, CTO SANS Institute, said: “These
findings should be seen as a wakeup call to
the cybersecurity industry that it needs to do
more to promote itself.
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INTELLIGENTCIO
“We need to ensure that the 72% of
parents who haven’t considered a career
in cybersecurity for their children become
aware of both the economic rewards and
the job satisfaction offered by our industry.
The only people who can really spread that
message are those working in the industry
already – it’s another way to help close the
skills gap we are currently suffering.”
Although 27% of parents indicated that IT
remains within their top five career choices for
their eldest child, there is a lack of awareness
of where students learn about cybersecurity,
with 69% of parents assuming cyber is
taught in some form at school.
In addition, 87% of UK parents indicated
that they would like their children to learn
about cybersecurity more generally as part
of their curriculum, and through extra-
curricular activities.
In this same research, 46% of UK
students polled indicated that they had
heard of cybersecurity from their parents,
showing a strong case for the education
of parents, as well as children, for the
benefit of industry.
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