The majority of UK parents are in the dark when it comes to advising their children on a career in cybersecurity, research from global cybersecurity training provider, SANS Institute, shows.
The findings reveal that 63% of parents in the UK would either not be able to answer questions on how to get a job in the cybersecurity industry or just didn’t know if they would be able to; 61% report they are not very aware or not aware at all of any career opportunities.
This contributes to the wider industry issue within the UK of the ever-increasing skills gap in technology and cybersecurity.
With the industry crying out for new blood and professionals to address the 51% of UK businesses and charities that have a basic cybersecurity skills gap, educating and incentivising school children to take up a career in cybersecurity is considered crucial to the survival of the industry and, even more critically, the security of the nation online.
James Lyne, CTO SANS Institute, said: “These findings should be seen as a wakeup call to the cybersecurity industry that it needs to do more to promote itself.
“We need to ensure that the 72% of parents who haven’t considered a career in cybersecurity for their children become aware of both the economic rewards and the job satisfaction offered by our industry. The only people who can really spread that message are those working in the industry already – it’s another way to help close the skills gap we are currently suffering.”
Although 27% of parents indicated that IT remains within their top five career choices for their eldest child, there is a lack of awareness of where students learn about cybersecurity, with 69% of parents assuming cyber is taught in some form at school.
In addition, 87% of UK parents indicated that they would like their children to learn about cybersecurity more generally as part of their curriculum, and through extra-curricular activities.
In this same research, 46% of UK students polled indicated that they had heard of cybersecurity from their parents, showing a strong case for the education of parents, as well as children, for the benefit of industry.
