She says: “There is a lot happening. The Ministry of Defence and others are putting resources in to attract people to work in this sector.”
The college has also invested heavily in its cyber and digital facilities. Nicola says: “The investment we have made has been done with employers, making sure it is the right investment in the future and that we’re investing in those skills.
“Upskilling our staff is absolutely vital to make sure that they’ve got that awareness and that understanding to be able to deliver those new skillsets as well.”
She adds: “We’ve been gearing up now for a couple of years but there’s still even more to be done.” Jonathan Bond, head of school creative and digital at the college, says parents and guardians have an important role to play in ensuring Lancashire’s success 10 to 20 years down the line.
He says: “We’re doing a lot with the children; we get them into the college but I believe the education system underestimates the impact parents and guardians have on the decisions that young people make going forward. That’s something that needs a careful eye on and addressing.
“If we’re not in a position to articulate what these careers are or what skills we’re looking for in those conversations that are happening round the dining room table at home, then this may not move forward in the way that we need it to. We have a responsibility and the ability to engage with those parents.”
Tim Jacques, chief executive of Preston Youth Zone, says organisations like his have their role to play in helping develop the skills and interest of young people who don’t think mainstream education is for them.
Working with businesses will be vital in achieving that, he adds, saying: “There’s a massive opportunity, we’ve got to seize it though, collectively we’ve got to work together.”
Tim says in the first instance Lancashire has to be “fantastic hosts” to the people coming into the county to work at NCF.
However, he adds: “We then need to develop and grow the workforce in the future so that it becomes embedded and actually a part of the community itself, so we’re not just seeing people moving in and out of Lancashire to work here and not investing in the county.”
It is about capitalising on Lancashire’s strengths to attract more companies like CGI into the county. “We can lead the world, we genuinely can,” he says.
Expert View
CYBER ADVISORS: THE NEW DIMENSION TO CYBER ESSENTIALS
By Kevin Crichton, MSc, PhD, CEO Bergerode Consulting
Many readers are familiar with Cyber Essentials, the UK government’s cyber security certification scheme introduced in 2014, aimed at helping micro, small, and medium companies, charities and other organisations become cyber secure through the implementation of five basic cyber security measures.
Cyber Essentials has been fantastically successful with more than 140,000 organisations certifying between 2014 and 2023, with over 28,000 awarded in 2023 alone, a 21 per cent increase on the previous year.
But how many readers are aware that there is a new dimension to Cyber Essentials in the form of the Cyber Advisor scheme?
What is the Cyber Advisor scheme?
The Cyber Advisor scheme, developed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), is designed to give organisations confidence that their chosen service provider is providing reliable cyber security advice and practical support for the implementation of Cyber Essentials.
As a Cyber Advisor we can be
relied upon to provide low-cost and common-sense solutions
Why has this happened?
It is recognised that many organisations struggle to meet the standard by themselves and need help from trusted sources.
Consequently, Cyber Advisors are not only chosen for their technical ability, but also for their soft skills in being able to work with such organisations providing guidance and consultancy. It must also be said that the Cyber Advisor scheme not only aims to raise the quality of the guidance given, but also aims to elevate the professionalism of those engaged in providing that guidance.
Why choose Bergerode Consulting as a Cyber Advisor?
Bergerode Consulting is the leading Cyber Essentials certification body in North West England, and is a Cyber Advisor and a NCSC Assured Service Provider for the delivery of Cyber Essentials. Since 2018 we have certified hundreds of organisations in the UK, Europe, and North America to Cyber Essentials.
PRESENT:
Jonathan Bond Blackburn College
Simon Dalley Grow Traffic
Michele Lawty-Jones
Lancashire Skills Partnership
Jonny Burr CGI IT
Tim Jacques Preston Youth Zone
Jon Lomas Lancaster University
Nicola Clayton Blackburn College
Kam Kothia seoBusiness
Dave Walker +24 Marketing
cyber@bergerode.com | 0330-1333-424
www.bergerode.consulting
LANCASHIREBUSINES SV
IEW.CO.UK
Bergerode Consulting works with organisations of all sizes in many activities including defence, engineering, manufacturing, charities, and service providers. As a Cyber Advisor we can be relied upon to provide low-cost and common-sense solutions for the implementation of Cyber Essentials.
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IN VIEW
CYBER AND DIGITAL
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