GDPR is now 170 days away from going live, at which point uncompliant organisations could face major fines. At this time of unparalleled cyber danger, it has been found that only half of companies in the UK believe they are equipped with adequate cybersecurity skills. The root of this shocking lack of confidence may be in another finding that just 51 per cent of IT workers in the UK said that cybersecurity has been factored into their training. Not lonely have IT workers been found lacking adequate cybersecurity training, employers are not showing interest in cybersecurity skills when hiring. In addition to the other findings, a CW Jobs survey notes that just half of UK businesses look for cybersecurity skills in new-starters. It could be the case that there just are not enough people out there to offer cybersecurity skills, with 82 per cent of employers of people with this expertise struggling to fill roles. Dominic Harvey, Director, CWJobs said: “The government has started taking steps to address the skills gap with plans to treble the number of computer science teachers in schools, introduce a national centre for computing, and boost digital skills with the provision of distance learning courses.” “It’s really encouraging to see the government listened to the concerns of the tech industry and responded by putting in plans to upskill the next generation of tech employees. This is not only important for the UK to keep pace globally, but so that businesses and organisations can be adequately prepared in the event of a cyber security attack, for instance.” Major attacks of 2017 including WannaCry and NotPetya have left indelible marks on the attitudes of many, contributing to the pressure on the government to get involved. With GDPR around the corner, organisations would be well advised to begin shoring up their defences. “Now that we have a commitment from Government – and a clearer sense of where the skills are needed in areas like coding and cybersecurity – all parties can make a concerted effort to direct the new resources where they are needed most,” said Harvey.
just half of companies in the UK are prepared for the EU's incoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and a similar proportion of IT workers said cybersecurity had been covered in training, according to a report. When GDPR, designed to strengthen data protections, comes into force, non-compliant organisations could face large fines. Meanwhile, 82% of employers said they struggled to fill cybersecurity roles, possibly hinting at a skills gap.