UK Cyber Security Council will oversee security education and training

The UK Cyber Security Council will work with training providers to accredit courses on cyber security

The government has announced the establishment of a new independent body to support education and skills development for the UK cyber security industry.

The UK Cyber Security Council (UKCSC) will work as the official agency on training and standards in cyber security. It will provide a single governing voice regarding the knowledge and skills required for various roles in the sector.

The Council will work with training providers to accredit courses and boost professional standards. It aims to give organisations essential information they need to help them recruit effectively in building their cyber capability. It will also assist the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to support the government's £1.9 billion National Cyber Security Strategy.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) will fund the new Council, and it will formally launch on 31^st March this year.

The UKCSC will operate under a board chaired by Dr Claudia Natanson. Natanson is a cyber security expert who has previously served as the chief security officer at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and managing director at BT Secure Business Service.

Cyber security is a vital field, said Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman, contributing a large amount to the UK's digital economy by protecting critical infrastructure, commerce and other online spaces from adversaries.

"The UK Cyber Council will ensure anyone interested in an exciting career tackling online threats has access to world-class training and guidance," Warman added.

Chris Ensor, deputy director for cyber growth at the NCSC, said they are looking forward to working with the new Council, to help ensure that future generations of cyber security professionals in the UK have the skills and support they need to make the country a safe place to live and work online.

The announcement of new Cyber Security Council follows feedback from a 2018 public consultation, which looked at the issues facing the UK cyber security profession. The government proposals defined a series of objectives focused around professional development, professional ethics, thought leadership and influence, and outreach and diversity.

The findings of the consultation showed that most individuals and companies working in the field wanted the government to set up a new body to define objectives for the profession.

Almost 70 per cent of respondents said the Council model was an appropriate way of delivering on the proposed objectives.