UK Cyber Security — Why upskilling is the answer

In today's fast-paced digital world, Cyber Security is a top priority for businesses of all sizes. The UK is facing a significant challenge – the UK Cyber Security skills gap.

Many companies are struggling to find and hire the right talent to defend against evolving cyber threats. While the conventional approach has been to recruit new, specialised employees, we believe there's a better solution: upskilling your existing workforce. 

According to Government's 2023 Ipsos report, approximately 50% (739,000) of UK businesses lack basic Cyber Security skills. These common skills gaps include setting up configured firewalls, handling personal data, and detecting/removing malware. There is also a concerning trending increase in the Incident Management skills gap. The proportion of businesses lacking confidence in Incident Management skills has increased over time, from 27% in 2020 to 41% now.

Hiring – How it used to be done

Historically, when companies face a skills gap, their immediate response is to hire new employees with the specific skills they lack. In the context of Cyber Security, this often involves recruiting experienced professionals who can hit the ground running.

As reported by IBM In 2020, organizations allocated a substantial £6.6 billion toward addressing skill shortages, marking a notable increase from the £4.4 billion spent in the previous year. The primary method employed to tackle these skill deficits revolves around recruitment efforts.

This approach has several drawbacks:

1. High cost: Hiring experienced Cyber Security specialists can be expensive, as they often command high salaries and benefits packages
2. Limited talent pool: The demand for Cyber Security professionals far exceeds the supply, making it challenging to find suitable candidates
3. Culture and integration: New hires may take time to integrate into the company's culture and processes, potentially leading to inefficiencies and conflicts
4. Remaining skills shortage: Hiring new employees doesn't address the broader skills gap issue; it merely shifts the problem to other organizations

The solution?

How upskilling can lead to success

At Firebrand, we believe that the key to addressing the UK's Cyber Security skills gap lies in upskilling your existing workforce. For over 20 years, we’ve developed accelerated programmes to achieve just that.

Why?

1. Upskilling your workforce is cost-effective, as training programmes are generally less expensive than recruitment and onboarding
2. Upskilling your workforce fosters loyalty and retention, as employees are more likely to stay with a company that supports their professional growth
3. Upskilling your workforce leverages in-depth knowledge, as existing employees already understand your company's operations, culture, and specific Cyber Security needs. This knowledge can be invaluable when it comes to protecting your organization.

Moreover, customised skill development is flexible, which means that existing employees can be taught more specialised skills than new-starters.

Embarking on the upskilling adventure: Your journey to skill success!

To successfully upskill your employees, you'll need a well-defined training programme that covers the fundamentals of Cyber Security, best practices, and the latest threats. It's not just about technical skills; it's also about creating a culture of cyber awareness throughout your organization. Encourage your employees to become cyber-savvy, spotting potential threats and adopting secure practices in their day-to-day work.

Upskilling can be achieved through various means, such as: 

1. In-house training: Offer regular in-house training sessions and workshops led by your own Cyber Security experts or specialised training providers
2. Online learning: Invest in online courses and resources that your employees can access at their convenience
3. Certifications: Encourage your employees to pursue industry-recognized certifications, such as ISC2 CISSP, EC-Council CEH, or CompTIA Security+ to validate their skills
4. Continuous Learning or CPD: For an ever-evolving field like Cyber Security, promote a culture of continuous learning to ensure your employees stay up-to-date on the latest threats.
   
   

Ready to upskill your team?

While the UK Cyber Security skills gap is significant, it's not insurmountable. Upskilling your existing workforce offers cost-effective, long-term solutions while fostering loyalty and enhancing your organisation's cyber resilience. 

For the past 22 years, we’ve developed accelerated training solutions to upskill your team, fast. Perhaps one of them is right for you? See all our Cyber Security courses and get in touch for group bookings.