This week is Scottish Apprenticeship Week, a celebration of the contribution apprentices make to businesses, individuals and the economy. Claire Gillespie is sector manager for Digital Technology at Skills Development Scotland, and here she tells us about the benefits of employing a cyber security apprentice to keep your company safe online.
The current pandemic has focused our minds and fast-forwarded our future, and we now rely on digital technology and the associated skills far more than ever before.
But it’s also led to a massive rise in online crime: 1 in 4 cyber-attacks in the UK during 2020 were related to Covid-19, and more than £190,000 A DAY was lost to hackers and scammers in this country alone. The estimated cost of cybercrime globally is expected to reach $6.1TRILLION by the end of 2021!
Now more than ever companies need to be cyber aware and resilient. Any company, big or small, that has an online presence or uses digital process, needs to stay safe and secure online. But this rise in cybercrime has also led to a massive rise in demand for cyber security specialists.
The available pool of talent is under growing pressure, leading to more time spent on recruiting, less choice in the interview room, and spiralling costs to acquire that talent.
But there is a solution: apprenticeships offer a cost effective way of creating and developing online security skills bespoke to your business, particularly as support funding is available through Skills Development Scotland (and you could get up to £5000 more if you take on an apprentice before the 25th March 2021)
And apprenticeships are not just for new starts. Work-based learning can also be used for upskilling and reskilling existing staff.
Our Modern Apprenticeships in Information Security are open to new or existing employees, who work towards industry approved qualifications in a way that is bespoke to your company, bringing in new skills and ideas to your workplace.
Our Graduate Apprenticeships in Cyber Security are for you if you are looking for higher-level accreditation and skills. They learn on the job, supported by Scotland’s top Universities and colleges.
Once qualified, your former apprentice, now online security expert, will be able to:
- block phishing and whaling expeditions
- conduct penetration testing
- undertake cyber incident response
- reverse engineer malware
- provide network monitoring and intrusion support
- build and enhance security architecture
More than 40% of cyber-attacks target small businesses, and more than a third of organisations who’ve had a data breach lost a significant amount of customers. Can you afford to let this happen to you? It’s not a matter of when, but a matter of IF you get hit, so prepare yourself and make sure you and your business stay safe online by taking on a cyber security apprentice.
For more information visit Digital World.