CyberScotland Week (22-28 February) showcases the innovation taking place across the sector while raising awareness of good cyber resilience practice. As part of the Scottish Government Cyber Resilience Public Sector Action Plan, Scotland is aiming to be a world leader in cyber security.
Dundee and Angus College experienced a cyber-attack last year, so it knows only too well the importance of a robust system. It has linked up with Skills Development Scotland to increase the skillset in this expanding sector where cyber-crime is continually on the rise due to our reliance on digital technology. The College is excited to be involved in piloting the introduction of a cyber security teaching unit and will be the first college to embed it as a key core skill, providing additional career pathways for its students.
A specialist team has created an engaging and interactive toolkit which includes practical activities, assessments suitable for remote or blended learning and accompanying lesson plans for deliverers. These materials will be transferable to colleges across Scotland.
Learners will gain a basic understanding of the cyber security landscape and elementary skills in protecting themselves against common security threats. The current pilot introduces this unit into the Social Sciences framework where students will investigate how technology changes the way humans interact and communicate.
Gillian McGovern, Head of Sector for Creative, Cultural and Digital, says, “The internet plays a crucial role in the lives of so many people and technology is now commonplace in homes and in businesses. The reliance on hardware, software and connectivity is a critical part of our livelihoods and the average user only realises its importance when something goes wrong. This industry is growing exponentially and, it’s predicted we will have a global shortfall of 3.5 million cyber security jobs by the end of this year. We are excited to be involved in this pilot and, if successful, we look forward to rolling this out into other non-traditional areas to increase awareness.”
Find out about the College’s digital courses here:
www.dundeeandangus.ac.uk/careers/digital-technology/
Dundee & Angus College
Dundee and Angus College is moving away from traditional thinking and focussing much more on careers not courses. It wants the people of the Dundee and Angus region to be better informed and prepared for the career options available to them, no matter what stage they are at.
