University symposium will address ‘critical’ cyber skills shortage facing Gloucestershire

Some of the biggest names from the cyber sector are joining a University of Gloucestershire event addressing a cyber skills shortage in the county – and the latest solutions.

By Andrew Merrell  |  Published
Professor Kamal Bechkoum, of the University of Gloucestershire, who will be on a discussion panel of experts with Buck Rogers, of BAE Systems, Paul Crichard, BT Richard Holmes, CGI, Dr Hassan Chizari, University of Gloucestershire, Reid Derby, Golden Valley Development and Andy Bates of Gloucestershire College.
Professor Kamal Bechkoum, of the University of Gloucestershire, who will be on a discussion panel of experts with Buck Rogers, of BAE Systems, Paul Crichard, BT Richard Holmes, CGI, Dr Hassan Chizari, University of Gloucestershire, Reid Derby, Golden Valley Development and Andy Bates of Gloucestershire College.

A glance at the names due to attend a forthcoming business conference on potential skills shortages shows just how important Gloucestershire is when it comes to cyber.

That the University of Gloucestershire is hosting underlines its own commitment, with speakers including names from industry giants including IBM and defence and US security giant Raytheon as well as BT.

Also represented will be the Golden Valley Development, the tech business park planned for land beside GCHQ, and Gloucestershire College, now positioned as a key part of the future pipeline of cyber talent.

This is the University of Gloucestershire’s inaugural ‘C11 Cyber Symposium’ – due to be broadcast live online on Thursday 17 June, 2021, from 9am to 4pm – in partnership with its own C11 Cyber Security and Digital Innovation Centre.

‘The focus of the symposium will be to address solutions to the current skills deficit facing cyber Industry employers across Gloucestershire and the south west England.

‘It will serve to highlight the critical level of this problem and, more importantly, examine the latest and most persuasive solutions,’ said a spokesperson for the event.

Highlighted will be the solutions on the table so far and the work being done by those involved to provide solutions.

On the agenda will also be how employers can engage with current cyber educational offers, demonstrations and discussion on some of the latest breakthroughs in cyber-security research and what this means for organisations and industry, and engagement with current university students and graduates.

Speakers include Paul Crichard, chief security technology strategist at BT, David Marriott of Raytheon Professional Services, Paul Keasey, of Gloucestershire Constabulary, Bob Clift, of Tech Industry Gold Accreditation, Stephen Marston, vice-chancellor of the university and Ali Al-Sherbaz, associate professor in mobile and network security and Rayelle Pentland-Smith, senior lecturer in business and marketing strategy, at the University of Gloucestershire.

In short, the event will aim to update the regional community on the rapidly changing state of cyber research, education and the support available to businesses of all types and sizes.

Click here to find out more about C11 Cyber Security

By Andrew Merrell


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