Building British Cyber Skills – RPS Cyber Academy Case Study
Current restrictions have made us realise how reliant we have become on technology and how exposed we are when it comes to security. By 2022, there is predicted to be a talent gap of 1.8 million cyber specialists. This can only be filled if employers embrace the concept of recruiting and training new or junior level skills from a wide variety of backgrounds.
That is why we were so pleased this year to successfully recruit and develop a diverse cohort of cyber security specialists in Greater Manchester as part of the RPS Cyber Academy. In partnership with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Lancashire Digital Skills Partnership, the programme is supporting more than 90 Greater Manchester and Lancashire residents with accessible routes into better quality digital employment.
Graduates of the RPS Cyber Academy have been recruited from a range of sectors including hospitality and tourism and, after a blended delivery programme that equated to 40 days of learning through our digital boot camp, are developed for entry into junior cyber security roles within employers that include Salford City Council and Morson Projects.
The key to the programme is in the fact that it is developed by own cyber security experts and in our ability to recruit and build cyber skills for people from all walks of life and backgrounds, providing them with university-level skills to prepare the delegates for the exciting tech challenges that the UK faces. One such example is Georgia, who decided to apply to the RPS Cyber Academy when her career as a travel agent was halted by the impact that the coronavirus had on the sector. She has since secured employment within the video analytics team at Amazon.
The programme covers basic to intermediate information technology and networking, plus entry-level cyber security. This ensures delegates have a diverse knowledge and skill set to enter multiple areas of the digital sector.
Khoa had studied languages at college and university before turning his attention fully to IT, prompted by COVID-19 and the lack of travel opportunities. He joined the course already holding the CompTIA A+ certification (passed in July) and once he graduated, he accepted a level 4 cyber security technologist apprenticeship with a local office of a national employer.
The Cyber Academy is a great example of how full-time and part-time, flexible cyber training programmes can be useful to a range of different employers who are trying to recruit, train and develop individuals who want to pursue a career in the sector.
With initiatives like this, and continued funding from government to fund skills camps and make apprenticeships available to all age groups, we can go a long way to ensuring that digital employment opportunities are made available to all communities across the UK.
Dan Patefield
Dan Patefield
Dan leads the techUK Cyber Security programme, having originally joined techUK in August 2017 as a Programme Manager working across the Cyber and Defence programmes. He is responsible for managing techUK's work across the cyber security eco-system, bringing industry together with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors. Dan also provides the industry secretariat for the Cyber Growth Partnership, the industry and Governmnet conduit for supporting growth across the sector. A key focus of his work is to strengthen the public-private partnership across cyber security to support further development of UK cyber security policy.
Before joining techUK he worked as Forum Lead for the Westminster eForum. In this role he had a focus on the technology and telecoms space, on issues ranging from Broadband and Mobile Infrastructure, the Internet of Things, Cyber Security, Data and diversity in tech. Dan has a BA in History from the University of Liverpool.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2165
Jill Broom
Jill Broom
Jill is techUK’s Programme Manager for Cyber Security, working across the cyber eco-system to bring industry together with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors.
Prior to focusing in on techUK's cyber security work, Jill was also part of techUK's Central Government programme team, representing the supplier community of technology products and services to Whitehall departments.
Before joining techUK, Jill worked as a Senior Caseworker for an MP, advocating for local communities, businesses and individuals, so she is particularly committed to techUK’s vision of harnessing the power of technology to improve people’s lives. Jill is also an experienced editorial professional and has delivered copyediting and writing services for public-body and SME clients as well as publishers.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Twitter:
- @honeybroom
- Website:
- www.techuk.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-broom-19aa824
Annie Collings
Annie Collings
Annie joined techUK as the Programme Manager for Cyber Security and Central Government in September 2023.
Prior to joining techUK, Annie worked as an Account Manager at PLMR Healthcomms, a specialist healthcare agency providing public affairs support to a wide range of medical technology clients. Annie also spent time as an Intern in an MPs constituency office and as an Intern at the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed.
Annie graduated from Nottingham Trent University, where she was an active member of the lacrosse society.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Twitter:
- anniecollings24
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-collings-270150158/