Cyber Scotland Week: Cyber Security Careers and Digital Transformation in Scotland

What is Cyber Scotland Week?

Cyber Scotland Week takes place between 27^th February and 5^th March. Running for its fifth year, the week is dedicated to making businesses, organisations, and individuals across Scotland more cyber aware and resilient. The week will bring together industry leaders, experts, and enthusiasts from across the country to share their knowledge, showcase their work, and explore the latest trends and developments in the field of cybersecurity.

There are three aims of Cyber Scotland Week; this includes:

• Protection
• Innovation
• Skills and Careers

The week will play host to a number of different online and offline cyber events, where businesses and individuals can either share their expertise and knowledge or they can attend events to help increase their cyber awareness and understanding.

Some of the main events include:

• Holyrood Connect, Public Sector Cyber Security – 2nd February.
• Future Scot, Cyber Security 2023 – 27th February.
• OSP Academy, OT / IT Cyber Summit Aberdeen – 2nd March.

A number of businesses and universities have also teamed up with Cyber Scotland Week to highlight the many fantastic career opportunities available in the sector. Some of the sessions that are running include:

• Women in Cyber Security, Pursuing a career in cyber security – 27^th February.
• National Cyber Security Centre, Threat Intelligence Workshop – 28^th February.
• Routes to a Cyber Career, 1^st March.
• IT Hotdesk, Threat Landscape for 2023 – 2^nd March.

Scotland Cyber Security Framework

In February 2021, the Scottish Government launched a refreshed Cyber Resilience Learning and Skills Action Plan as part of Scotland’s Strategic Framework. The plan supports the development of accessible cyber security skills training pathways and effective careers guidance to help ensure that skills supply meets demand.

The framework outlines the importance of embedding cyber security learning and skills development opportunities across education and the lifelong learning system. It also outlines the need for a more diverse cyber workforce, including women, neurodivergent people, and people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and disadvantaged communities.

Cyber Security Careers in Scotland

The world of cyber security has career opportunities for people with a whole range of non-technical skills whether your strengths lie in self-management, social intelligence or innovation, there are a range of areas including law and regulations, digital forensics, or project management that you can get involved in.

Digital technology is Scotland's fastest-growing sector for inward investment across the following topics:

• Cyber security
• Data
• Fintech
• Games
• Global business services
• Software
• IT
• Space
• Waste and wastewater Technology

According to the Technology sector export plan from the Scottish Government for 2022, there were 10,295 registered businesses in the technology sector in 2021. There has also been 15,000 graduates each year in digital technology fields from Scotland universities, as well as over 83,000 people employed across Scotland’s digital and technology industries.

There has never been a better time to join the growing tech industry in Scotland.

Digital Transformation in Scotland

Experts outside of the government consider Scotland to be a world leader in the tech field. The Scottish Government has a Digital Academy that provides high-quality professional learning and agile coaching to support digital skills and leadership across the public and third sectors in Scotland.

The Digital Academy has since updated the knowledge and skills of Police Scotland, the National Library of Scotland, and Dundee and Angus College – putting the Scottish Government’s digital strategy out into the real world.

As well as investing in people Scotland is also investing in resources to make Scotland a technology hub. On 28^th September 2022, The National Robotarium opened its doors as the UK’s newest centre for robotics and artificial intelligence. Located on Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh campus, it will be the largest and most advanced applied research facility for robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) in the UK, creating an innovation hub for the practical application of robotics and autonomous systems.

David Duguid MP, Permanent Under Secretary of State for Scotland, who attended and spoke at the event said: "The National Robotarium - backed by £21 million UK Government funding - showcases the exceptional developments Scotland is making in pioneering research and technology, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators and bringing jobs and prosperity. More than £2 billion is being invested by the UK Government directly in Scotland to level up communities."

Find all our IT and tech job opportunities in Scotland here.