BT, IBM, Capgemini to offer cyber security apprenticeships

Employers team up with e-skills UK in a bid to close 'cyber skills gap'

Cyber security apprenticeships will be offered by organisations including BT, IBM, Capgemini and Atos as part of a programme set up by skills body e-skills UK.

Defence and security firms Cassidian and QinetiQ, and other small businesses specialising in cyber security, are also taking part in the initiative, which should see more than 100 apprentice positions filled by this summer.

Karen Price, CEO of e-skills UK, said she was pleased with the number of employers taking part in the scheme.

"I'm in no doubt that the apprenticeships will significantly help to widen access to the sector, by opening up opportunities to young people from a diverse range of backgrounds," she said.

Skills and enterprise minister Matthew Hancock said that cyber security was an increasingly important part of people's lives.

Because of this, he believes firms "need to offer people opportunities to train in this vitally important area to protect businesses against the growing threat of online crime and sabotage".

"It is our goal to make choosing to go to university or take an apprenticeship the new norm. With high tech and important examples like this I can see that this is rapidly becoming a reality," Hancock said.

Mike Smith, CTO at Atos, added that the apprenticeships would form part of the company's long-term strategy to recruit and nurture talent in the field.

QinetiQ's Paul Thorlby said that the defence firm was confident that the apprentices would learn the skills and competencies needed to get a "solid footing on the career ladder".

Computing and QA Training's Securing Talent campaign aims to raise awareness of the growing need for people with cyber security skills in industry and government, and for clearer pathways into the cyber security profession.