Google has launched a brand new cyber security training and certification scheme – partnering with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) within the course of – designed to upskill potential new cyber professionals to assist safe the UK’s huge group of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Google cited latest analysis from pollsters Kantar, which discovered that 43% of SMEs had been unable to rent cyber help because of a scarcity of specialists or issue in attracting and retaining them. The interval from January 2022 to January 2023 confirmed a 59% enhance within the variety of open cyber roles, with virtually 70,000 distinctive jobs marketed on-line in that timeframe.
Designed by the identical moral hackers featured within the Hacking Google web series, the Cybersecurity Career Certificate has been tailored to handle the cyber expertise hole amongst UK SMEs by providing an inexpensive and accessible means for individuals to achieve the entry-level expertise that may assist fill essentially the most essential cyber security roles.
Google’s course could be accomplished on-line, and it claims it ought to take the typical individual about six months of part-time examine to attain certification. Besides overlaying the fundamentals of cyber security, it should additionally present hands-on expertise with Python and Linux, and varied security packages, together with security info and occasion administration (SIEM) instruments.
“The UK’s digital skills gap, and the lack of cyber security experts specifically, threatens to hinder future progress. Both the lack of digital skills and cyber security concerns are listed as SMEs’ top digitalisation barriers,” stated Debbie Weinstein, vice-president and managing director of Google UK and Ireland.
“This is why we’re launching our new Google Cybersecurity Career Certificate to provide Brits with the job-ready skills needed to fill the roles in this high-growth sector, and to provide more businesses with the expertise needed to safeguard future economic growth.”
“Cyber criminals represent a challenge for all organisations, but we know that they are increasingly viewing small businesses as attractive targets. I strongly encourage small business owners to explore this new training programme – and the NCSC’s other resources – to boost their defences and keep cyber criminals locked out” Sarah Lyons, NCSC
The partnership with the NCSC may also see SMEs supplied free on-line enterprise security training for enterprise homeowners themselves.
This is an hour-long course that may be accomplished on-line or at one of Google’s Digital Garage events. It will embrace info on enhanced credential security, the significance of holding software program and programs up to date, managing who has entry to what knowledge and holding it backed up, and employees training and tradition constructing.
Sarah Lyons, NCSC deputy director for economic system and society, stated: “Cyber criminals characterize a problem for all organisations, however we all know that they’re more and more viewing small companies as engaging targets. Successful assaults could be devastating for a enterprise, inflicting large ranges of disruption to operations, and within the worst-case situations shutting them down fully.
“I strongly encourage small business owners to explore this new training programme – and the NCSC’s other resources – to boost their defences and keep cyber criminals locked out of their business.”
At the identical time, Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, is as we speak launching a Cybersecurity Fund, designed to assist diversify the pipeline of cyber expertise throughout Europe. This will embrace $1m value of funding for INCO and Women4Cyber to assist ladies from much less well-off socioeconomic backgrounds entry security training and help resembling mentorship, peer networking and job interview prep.
