IT degrees to include cyber security

New guidelines set out by the Government that ensure cyber security has a role to play in IT-related and computer science degrees will be implemented in September.

From then, universities will be on a two-year trial to monitor compliance with the updated criteria.

The learning outcomes and  guidelines that aid the Cyber Security Strategy had been mapped out by consulting with 30 UK universities, along with industry and government bodies.

Initially, there will be 100 universities teaching cyber security in their IT-related degrees. The plan is to resolve a skills shortage issue by enrolling over 20,000 students a year on to computer science courses.

However, British students graduating in computer science have a greater chance of unemployment than graduates in any other field, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, which clearly shows the need for more information security jobs.

The education director at the British Computer Society (BCS), Bill Mitchell, said:

“This latest initiative means that additional guidance on cyber-security elements will be provided to complement the existing information security criteria for computing-related degrees accredited by the BCS. Building cyber-security into UK computing degree courses will go some way to resolving the skills gap situation by helping students to develop the skills that employers need.”

If the Government gets its way, there will be a far greater talent pool to choose from when it comes to companies looking to shore up their cyber security departments. It was added that any business that handles customer data needs to be looking at filling IT security jobs with the greatest talent it can lay its hands on.