Record number of applicants applying for cyber scheme
Published: 04 July, 2023
The UK Government has kickstarted an ‘Upskill in Cyber’ programme which aims to bridge the country’s digital skills gap and has seen a record number of applicants apply.
This comes as cybercrimes remain prevalent across the country costing businesses an average of £4,200, with medium and large businesses costs amounting to £19,400. In light of this, Claire Trachet, CFO of global bug bounty platform, YesWeHack, and cybersecurity expert, explains how the scheme serves to stimulate growth for the UK economy and provide Britain with a head start in the cyber race.
The scheme follows a massive cyberattack that saw the like of the BBC, British Airways, Boots and Aer Lingus all fall victim to the theft of their personal data, including national insurance numbers and bank details. The growing interest in the sector provides a sense of optimism in terms of greater security for UK businesses, as the UK Official Statistics Cyber Security Breaches report found a staggering 39% of businesses identified cyberattacks in 2022, with 31% of businesses experiencing them as often as once a week.
This serves as a crucial reason for the UK to invest in the cybersecurity sector, with IBM’s X-Force Threat Intelligence Index report finding that 43% of attacks observed in Europe were from the UK, almost double the average in comparison to the rest of Europe. The scheme offers the UK a chance to get ahead of any future potential cyberattacks and maintain its standing in the tech race compared to other countries on the global stage.
CFO of YesWeHack, Claire Trachet, outlines how the scheme serves to stimulate growth for the UK economy and provide a head start in the cyber race:
“As we’ve seen in the last few months alone, society is becoming more interconnected and heavily reliant on technology. As a result, the risk of cyberattacks is becoming more apparent, costing affected businesses vast amounts of money and effort in terms of rectifying these issues to ensure that their data and company in general are protected.
“It’s fantastic to see that there has been a record number of applicants for the government’s ‘Upskill in Cyber’ program as this will lead to a new wave of talent entering the cybersecurity sector in the UK and help fortify Britain’s position as a leader in the European tech space.
“It’s vital that new sectors such as this are given the appropriate support to help them flourish and support the economy amidst a challenging outlook for other industries, so it’s great to see the government’s focus in terms of ensuring this program succeeds.”
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