Worcestershire mounts the offensive in war on cyber crime

A WORCESTERSHIRE-based centre of excellence for cyber skills has received its official launch.

The National Cyber Skills Centre (NCSC), based at the Malvern Hills Science Park in Malvern, has been set-up to deliver high-quality, assured training to businesses and organisations so they can protect themselves against cyber-attacks.

The new centre, launched at the InfoSec exhibition at London’s Earls Court, is also the official sponsor of the Malvern Cyber Security Cluster, a group of more than 50 small cyber security companies.

Co-funded by Worcestershire County Council, and supported by employer body e-skills UK, the NCSC’s extensive range of courses have been written to meet regional and national needs in cyber security. The centre is targeting business from companies of all sizes from throughout the UK.

 The launch is seen as good news for Worcestershire’s growing number of independent businesses, as there has been a sharp rise in the number of cyber-attacks made against small businesses.

Last year, 87% of small businesses suffered an information security breach, costing them up to £65,000 each. In addition, 63% of small businesses were attacked by an authorised outsider, while 15% detected outsiders had successfully penetrated their network.

A recent National Audit Office report found that the cyber security skills gap facing the UK is so severe it could take as long as 20 years to correct, costing the country £27bn per year.

NCSC manager Debbie Tunstall said: “The launch of the National Cyber Skills Centre is a huge breakthrough, not only for the cyber security industry but also for Worcestershire as a whole.

“We are thrilled to be working with a range of training providers, both local and national, to ensure the best possible outcomes and meet the needs of businesses and organisations in their fight against cybercrime.”

Simon Geraghty, leader of Worcestershire County Council, said the centre would put Worcestershire on the map as a leader in cyber security provision.

Howard Skidmore, Technical Lead for Cyber Security at e-skills UK said:  “The launch has national importance because investment in cyber security skills is critical to the UK economy. Through e-skills UK, cyber security employers are working together to ensure that businesses and individuals can develop expertise in these vitally important skills.”