Government Funded Cyber Security Apprenticeships

Apprenticeship training in England is funded by the government, in an effort to boost the cyber skills of the UK’s employees. The government has introduced an apprenticeship levy, whereby companies who fit certain requirements will be able to hire as well as train apprentices in Cyber Security, and other disciplines. The Levy is a general UK tax on employers, with a turnover threshold of £3 million in a tax year, which in turn can be used to fund UK apprenticeship training.

Many companies are not sure about how the funds can be spent, that the funding even exists, or are concerned that they will not have the ability to utilise it properly. The great news is, there is a major opportunity for organisations in all markets to transform the levy into a serious boost for their capability of keeping their data and workplace secure. By taking advantage of new government-backed cyber security apprenticeships training programs, businesses are able to enhance their security and also restrict their exposure to the risk of privacy breaches and information loss.

Unquestionably, the UK as a whole is seeing a widening skills gap in cyber security that is becoming a growing risk to the UK corporate industry as a whole. Current research suggests that the void between employer need for cyber security expertise and the number of individuals really educated and certified to offer consultancy on the subject is the second biggest in the world. The government estimate that over 650,000 businesses (almost 50%) have a basic skills gap. This suggests that the people in charge of cyber security in those businesses lack the confidence to carry out the kinds of basic tasks laid out in the government-endorsed Cyber Essentials scheme, and are not getting support from professional cyber security providers.

The levy offers a fantastic opportunity for eligible business to improve their organisation with useful abilities that can aid to minimise operational and also governing risks. The UK government will contribute 95% of the cost of each apprentice. As a result, this makes apprenticeships an ideal solution for any SMEs to ensure they are upskilling and training employees in the skills required specific to the company. This is why apprenticeship participation is set to reach a record high in 2020. With Apprenticeships schemes in Cyber Security becoming more affordable with the Levy introduction, it is expected that the popularity of apprentices will only increase.

Government Funded Cyber Security Apprenticeships

There are 2 main Cyber Security Apprenticeships programs available under the Government funded levy

Cyber Security Technologist Level 4

A Cyber Security Technologist apprentices will gain technical knowledge in areas such as security design and architecture, security testing, investigations and response and an understanding of current cyber threats, hazards and risks and how to apply the necessary controls, measures and mitigation to protect an organisation’s systems and people. Cyber Security apprentices will develop and apply practical knowledge of information security to deliver solutions that fulfil an organisation’s requirements.

Cyber Security Technologist (Risk Analyst) Level 4

A Cyber Security Technologist Risk Analyst will understand the risk side in areas such as operations, governance and compliance. They’ll also have an understanding of cyber threats, hazards, controls, measures and mitigations to protect the organisation’s systems and people. They will also learn about cyber security risk, governance and compliance, including frameworks and relevant UK laws and regulations. Cyber Security apprentices will develop and apply practical knowledge of information security to deliver solutions that fulfil an organisation’s requirements.

How do you get an apprentice trained if you are an employer?

Employers should take advantage of professional Cyber Security Training providers that are approved and authorised by The Department of Education, such as CyberPRO.

What is Cyber Security?

Cyber security is a method and set of principles and solutions used in defending data, hardware, servers, mobile devices, electronic systems, networks and personal information from malicious attacks. It is sometimes referred to as information security or electronic information security. Hackers, cyber criminals and malicious software, attempting to gain access to a business’s sensitive data, can cause devastating and disabling results and compromised businesses could inadvertently provide access to the data it is legally obliged to protect.