A groundbreaking project to close the cyber skills gap and create a resilient workforce to protect businesses and communities against online threats has won Government funding.
CyberSprint: Fast Track to the Future, will redefine how cyber security training is delivered moving it from traditional IT to reskilling professionals in sectors ranging from law to logistics, creative industries to construction.
And it will also see cybersecurity embedded in the curriculum for 93 schools and colleges across the region, helping students gain vital foundation to keep them safe online.
De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) will lead the £76,000 project, working in collaboration with an alliance of regional leaders in cybersecurity, education, and business. Together, they will develop an inclusive and scalable training toolkit that serves diverse sectors and communities.
DMU’s Dr Ismini Vasileiou said CyberSprint had the potential to transform not only training but change the face of the industry, by including bold ambitions to improve diversity within the cyber profession and better reflect the diversity of the region.
She said: “CyberSprint is set to transform cybersecurity training in the UK, fostering a workforce capable of meeting today’s digital challenges while providing opportunities for people from all walks of life to contribute to a more secure, cyber-resilient future.”
Innovate UK announced its backing for the programme this week. Traditional cybersecurity programmes often target individuals with technical backgrounds, CyberSprint brings cross-sectoral approach, offering training to non-technical professionals working in fields such as law, psychology, finance and business.
The CyberSprint model ensures that a diverse range of participants acquire practical, industry-recognised cybersecurity skills that can be readily applied in the workplace.
CyberSprint’s partners are: East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster, Leicester and Leicestershire Business and Skills Partnership, Leicestershire Careers Hub, SASIG (Specialist Awareness Security Information Group), Barclays Eagle Labs, Digital Planning Limited, East Midlands Chamber, the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISEC), and the Chartered Institute for IT (BCS).
Holly Porter, Managing Director of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said: “We are excited to be part of The CyberSprint initiative which is an important step towards meeting the local cyber security needs in the East Midlands, with a programme that has nationwide potential. It is driven by a network covering education, industry and academia and will equip people with the industry-recognised skills needed in the digital economy.
“What’s more it draws from the diverse range of talent available across the region to ensure there will be a plentiful supply of skilled cyber security professionals in the future.”
CyberSprint will work with Leicester Careers Hub’s Digital Accelerator Programme to integrate cybersecurity learning into the curriculum for 93 schools and colleges across the East Midlands.
For adults, the Leicester and Leicestershire Business and Skills Partnership will deliver cybersecurity bootcamps and targeted training for career changers and working professionals.
The project’s commitment to diversity and digital inclusion aims to reach disadvantaged communities, creating entry points for those who might otherwise be excluded from cybersecurity careers.
