Training staff to deal with inevitable cyber attacks

By Sarah Green, business manager – cyber security, Training 2000.

As our reliance on technology grows, our openness to risk increases. It’s therefore no surprise that cyber security must be on the agenda of every modern business.

If your organisation has not experienced an attack yet, then it will at some point.

Now is the time to be looking at cyber security strategies and investing in skills for the future, but the good news is that this could be easier and more affordable than you may think.

In September, Training 2000 launched delivery of the brand new Level 4 Cyber Security Technologist Higher Apprenticeship standard.

The course is ideal for those in your organisation that are responsible for implementing cyber security measures and processes, and it is a perfect opportunity to give existing members of staff new skills, which in turn provides individuals with new career development opportunities.

The apprenticeship course is delivered via day release from the workplace at Training 2000’s Blackburn headquarters, taught by industry professionals.

Our first cohort has attracted apprentices from East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, well-known animal feed manufacturer Dugdale Nutrition and local IT suppliers Holker IT and Eventura. Ranging in age from 20’s through to 50’s and job titles including IT managers, information security managers, technical account managers and IT trainers, the 24-month programme will equip the apprentices with a critical set of skills with which to protect their own organisations, as well as those of their clients.

The programme requires all apprentices to complete a core module of key cyber security principles and theory, before choosing a specialism of either risk analyst, to focus on identifying and responding to business risk or technician, to learn hands on protection techniques to apply to critical data assets and systems.

Anyone within your organisation involved with cyber security can undertake the course and it is a perfect opportunity to give existing members of staff new skills, which in turn provides individuals with new career development opportunities.

Following the national Apprenticeship Reform which happened in May of this year, there are no longer any restrictions around who can qualify for an apprenticeship course – no limit on age or previous qualification level.

And for payers of the apprenticeship levy (those with a salary bill of £3m and above), the course fees are taken straight out of the levy which you pay as a tax each month. For non-levy payers, a co-investment contribution of £1,800 (over two years), is the only charge, with the remaining 90 per cent of the cost funded by the government.Talk to us about how a cyber security apprenticeship can work for your organisation, and we can help you access funding, harness fantastic talent and support you in providing great career opportunities, whilst preparing for the future at the same time.