A new course that hopes to breed a new generation of cyber security professionals has been launched today, supported by the Government.
The course, developed with the Open University, claims to be the first of its kind to gain government support.
“Introduction to Cyber Security” is open to anyone with access to the internet and will cover subjects such as network security, the threat landscape, cryptography, malware and how to manage security risks.
The course is funded by the Government’s National Cyber Security Programme and will be available through FutureLearn.com.
Teaching tech
A recent skills survey conducted by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills found that employers are looking for skilled people in the cyber security field. This course and future work by the Cyber Security Programme hope to fill the current gap.
The announcement of the online course comes the same week as programming was introduced to primary and secondary schools from the age of 5 all across the country.
It also comes shortly after news of a number of high profile business security breaches including JP Morgan and Home Depot in the US.
Cyber security skills
Newly appointed Digital Industries Miniter Ed Vaizey believes that this course and other measures will help build a “strong cyber security skills base in the UK, both within Government and the private sector”.
Employers are looking for skilled people in the cyber security field, now and in the future, and we’re particularly keen to encourage more young people and women into the profession.
It’s vital that we have the people and the skills to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of the information revolution.
From today, learners can register for the course here.