A recent government report “Cyber security skills in the UK labour market 2023: findings report” had several concerns about the UK’s ability to support this growing field in IT and security.
The report found that there is a significant skills gap in the UK cyber security workforce.
- Approximately 50% of UK businesses have a basic cyber security skills gap, while 33% have an advanced skills gap.
- The most common skills gaps are in technical skills, incident response skills, and governance skills.
- There is also a shortage of cyber security professionals in the UK, with an estimated shortfall of 11,200 people.
- The report makes a number of recommendations to address the skills gap, including:
- Increasing the number of people studying cyber security at university and in further education.
- Promoting diversity in the cyber security workforce.
- Making it easier for people to upskill and reskill in cyber security.
- Working with employers to improve the recruitment and retention of cyber security professionals.
The report surveyed over 2,000 businesses and 1,000 cyber security professionals. It found that the skills gap is most pronounced in small businesses and in certain sectors, such as the public sector and the financial services sector.
The report found that there is a growing demand for cyber security skills, as businesses become increasingly reliant on digital technology.
The report concludes that the skills gap in the UK cyber security workforce is a serious problem that needs to be addressed urgently. The recommendations in the report provide a roadmap for how to do this.
The report is an important contribution to the debate about the skills gap in the UK cyber security workforce. The recommendations in the report provide a valuable starting point for addressing this problem.
To read the full report click here.
