The UK Government announces new UK Cyber Security Council “to boost career opportunities and professional standards for the UK’s booming cyber security sector”.
The new UK Cyber Security Council announced today by the UK Government follows an initiative started in the 2015 UK National Cyber Security Strategy “developing the cyber security profession, including through achieving Royal Chartered status by 2020, reinforcing the recognised body of cyber security excellence within the industry and providing a focal point which can advise, shape and inform national policy”. Though the aim for the Council to achieve Royal Chartered status by 2020 has not been met, the achievement of establishing the Council is certainly a major step forward.
Following the publication of the 2015 National Strategy in early 2016 the WCIT and BCS worked to bring together a group of 17 organisations to form the Cyber Security Alliance.
The Cyber Security Alliance Members
This Alliance recognised that the establishment of the council, whilst much needed, could also be significantly disruptive if full engagement with industry professionals and academia was not carried. The Alliance set out to engage with DCMS and NCSC as discussions and public consultations were carried out. The result was the Alliance being awarded a grant and contract in August 2019 to establish the UK Cyber Security Council through its lead member the IET following an open competition process.
The significant amount of time and effort by individuals from both Alliance member and non Alliance member organisations is hard to quantify, but is significantly greater than the amount of grant funding awarded and that the council development has reached such an advanced stage within the contracted timeframe is a testament to their professionalism and commitment.
The Council is to be formally launched on the 31st March 2021
Work continues to prepare for the launch. The launch is but the end of the project to deliver the council, the real work then begins to establish the Council as a credible professional body that will represent those that work in the cyber security industry. DFM wish the new trustees charged with firmly establishing the council and moving it forward, good luck in their endeavours.
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Article Link: https://digitalforensicsmagazine.com/blogs/uk-government-announces-new-uk-cyber-security-council/