Cyber attacks aren’t a rare, dramatic event anymore. They’re a routine cost of doing business, and UK employers are struggling to find people with cyber security skills to defend against them. As more of daily business life moves online, that shortage is only becoming more obvious.
Hays UK research puts a number on it: 47% of UK employers report an explicit skills gap around AI, with strong crossover into data security and risk (Source: Hays UK). Demand for people who genuinely understand how to protect systems, data and customers is rising much faster than the pipeline of trained candidates.
Cyber security is one part of a much wider UK skills gap right now. Keep reading to find out how to develop your skills in this crucial area.
Why cyber security skills are in such short supply
Every business that holds customer data, processes payments or relies on connected systems is a potential target, which is most businesses now. That’s pushed demand for cyber security skills well beyond specialist tech firms and into retail, finance, healthcare and the public sector.
At the same time, the field itself keeps moving. Threats evolve constantly, so the cyber security skills that mattered five years ago aren’t necessarily the ones that matter today. That makes it genuinely hard for training to keep pace, and for employers to feel confident their teams are current.
What employers are actually looking for
Job postings in this space tend to fall into two camps. Some want broad, foundational understanding, someone who can spot risk, follow good practice and support a wider security team, often backed by a cyber security online certification rather than a full degree. Others want specialist depth, such as analysts who can investigate incidents or assess vulnerabilities properly.
A cyber security online certification can be enough to prove the basics and get a foot in the door, particularly for career changers, and it’s often the quickest route into an entry-level role. A cyber security certificate online is usually the fastest way to get there, especially if you’re testing the water before committing to something bigger. For anyone aiming higher, employers increasingly expect something more structured, like recognised cyber security analyst training or a qualification that maps onto an industry-recognised skills framework.
Even a grounding in basic cyber security concepts, things like phishing awareness, password hygiene and safe data handling, is now expected in a lot of office-based roles, not just IT ones. Building that basic cyber security knowledge first makes everything that follows, from a cyber security certificate online through to proper cyber security analyst training, much easier to pick up.
How to build your cyber security skills
If you’re starting from scratch, our Cyber Security Course is built to take you from the fundamentals through to genuinely job-ready cyber security skills, without needing a computing background first.
If you’re aiming for a longer-term career in the field rather than a single certificate, the Cyber Security Online Degree Pathway offers a structured, degree-level route studied flexibly. And if you don’t currently hold the entry qualifications a degree pathway usually asks for, an Access to Higher Education Diploma (Computing) is a recognised way to bridge that gap first.
Cyber security isn’t a field you finish learning. But building a solid, current set of cyber security skills now puts you well ahead of a job market where demand is only going one way.
Ready to take the next step?
Whichever skills gap you’re looking to close, the right next step doesn’t have to be a big commitment straight away. Browse the full range of free course brochures to see what’s involved before you enrol, call the team on 01202 006 464 to talk through your options, or get in touch online and we’ll point you towards the right course for where you want to get to. Alternatively, click below to view our full range of online cyber security courses.
