To help address the skills shortage, the UK government has partnered with the SANS Institute to launch the "Upskill in Cyber" programme, training individuals to become qualified cyber security professionals.
With spaces still available, the upcoming virtual Career Fair at the end of January provides UK employers with the opportunity to meet with GIAC-certified candidates, ready to support businesses in protecting their systems from threats such as phishing and ransomware.
According to the "Cyber Security Skills in the UK Labour Market" report, there were 160,035 job postings for cyber security professionals in 2022, indicating an increase of 33% in core cyber job postings and 30% in demand for all cyber roles in just 12 months. Upskill in Cyber is designed to provide candidates with cybersecurity certifications and meet this growing demand.
Lewis Philbey, SOC Manager at e2e-assure, said: "I have been thoroughly impressed with the candidates we recruited from the Upskill programme - they've demonstrated excellent technical knowledge and a high degree of professionalism. This has enabled them to 'hit the ground running' and quickly prove their value. The enthusiasm that each of them has shown to undertake the Upskill programme has continued through into their current role, and each of them is a fantastic addition to the SOC."
The programme is highly selective, accepting only 7% of the top applicants, and offers course content from SANS instructors who are themselves, cyber security professionals with an average of 15+ years of experience. Candidates receive two GIAC Foundational Cyber Security Technologies (GFACT) and GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC) certifications.
Companies are invited to attend the virtual Upskill In Cyber Career Fair on Tuesday, 30 January (12 pm - 3 pm) or Wednesday, 31 January (10 am - 1 pm) to meet programme graduates. Employers can register here ((https://www.sans.org/u/1ufr). This event is a perfect chance for employers to showcase their organisation to certified cyber talent.
James Lyne, SANS CTO, added, "SANS Foundations teaches students a broad array of fundamental knowledge in areas such as computer hardware, networking, Linux, operating systems, data storage, and much more. The skills gained are applicable to everyone in an IT, computing, or security role. Practical skills are key to success in cyber security, and thus there are over 100 labs and hands-on exercises in the course to kickstart a cyber security journey."
After completing the intensive training programme, Upskill in Cyber programme graduates are certified and ready to handle important cyber security functions, including security frameworks, penetration testing, and network protocols.
For more information about the careers fair or to find out how your organisation can get involved, please email cyberacademy@sans.org.
