HOW IMPORTANT
IS CYBERSECURITY
EDUCATION FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE
FOR CLOSING THE
CYBERSKILLS GAP?
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.
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.”
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.
This contributes to the wider industry
issue within the UK of the ever-
increasing skills gap in technology
and cybersecurity. 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.
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 “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
www.intelligentciso.com
|
Issue 15
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 the industry.
27