Civil service hopes to attract best and brightest cyber talent with new graduate scheme
The UK government is set to add a specific cybersecurity track to its Fast Stream graduate scheme, along with a new Risk Management track.
The new paths are expected to run alongside the existing Digital, Data, Technology and Cyber scheme, which will lose its cyber element. Applications are expected to open at the same time as for existing tracks, on 10 October.
“The Fast Stream programme is welcomed at a time when cyber skills are urgently needed. With the cyber landscape becoming more complex and the advent of new technologies such as GenAI, the need for skilled employees has never been more crucial,” said Ben McCarthy, lead cybersecurity Engineer at Immersive Labs.
“The programme will provide graduates with the opportunity to learn unique skills, which may never be developed in the private sector, and to tackle challenges that will undoubtedly prove valuable later on.”
There are currently 17 different specialist development schemes in the program, most open to graduates with a 2:2 or above. Salaries start at £31,186, hitting between £45,000 and £55,000 by the end of the scheme.
However, when it comes to cybersecurity in particular this pay is poor compared with similar roles in the private sector. Last year, former deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden acknowledged this was the case, promising to examine what could be done to improve pay rates.
However, salaries haven’t increased since – and good candidates may need greater incentives to sign up for the scheme, said Trevor Dearing, director of critical infrastructure at Illumio.
“Of course, salaries are often a reason why people turn away from the public sector. To ensure that individuals remain in the sector after they’ve run the course of the scheme, I hope to see that there will be a well-defined structure put in place like other sectors such as accounting which ensure a well-defined career progression,” he said.
“In an industry like cybersecurity, exposure trumps experience and we should therefore hope to see that the scheme will offer individuals all the opportunities that the private sector does which are required to prepare them for a role in this unique sector.”
Earlier this year it was revealed that applications for the Fast Stream had been falling dramatically, with the 2023 scheme receiving less than half the number of applicants as in 2021.
This did at least improve applicants’ chances of success, with around 4% of applicants recommended for appointment in 2023, up from just 1.8% in 2021.
However, McCarthy said that more needs to be done to find the best candidates.
“One of the reasons the cyber industry is suffering from a ‘skills shortage’ is that we tend to overemphasize certifications and CVs. As a result, genuine talent is being overlooked and not given a chance from the outset,” he said.
“For this Fast Stream programme to be successful, the UK government needs to hire people based on creativity, critical thinking, and willingness to do the job. Technical skills can be developed, but the right mindset is something that is hard to come by.”
