Cybersecurity Skills Academy

Expected Outcome and Deliverables:

Training courses to address the most in-demand skills such a cyber-forensics, cyber ranges, malware analysis and AI for cybersecurity among others  On-the-job training courses and traineeships opportunities for start-ups and SMEs and for public administrations in innovative companies in cybersecurity and cybersecurity competence centres  Online training, user friendly and accessible to everyone in all languages  Scheme for establishing a cybersecurity competence recognition and professional certification in the European market 74  KPIs framework and its monitoring, including through measurable indicators, during the duration of the action

Objective:

Cybersecurity has become a growing concern for European citizens, businesses and public authorities. In addition to skilled citizens, the EU needs a bigger pool of cybersecurity specialists to protect businesses and public services in Europe and design the cybersecurity solutions of the future. Currently, around 200,000 cybersecurity experts are missing in Europe. Recent legislative initiatives such as NIS2 and the upcoming Cyber Resilience Act will put even more pressure on companies and public authorities to have access to cybersecurity specialists. To address these challenges, the European Commission has already deployed many actions, in close collaboration with relevant actors. However, actions and resources are often perceived as scattered and inaccessible. The Cybersecurity Skills Academy would constitute a European umbrella integrating various activities with the objective of increasing their visibility, accessibility and impact. Those activities would align along common goals, key performance indicators and a joined-up communication strategy to seek greater impact.

Scope:

The Cybersecurity Skills Academy; training programmes for SMEs, start-ups and the public sector Funding will be available for the implementation of new training opportunities or the scale-up of successful ones with a special focus on the needs of SMEs and public administration in the area of cybersecurity. Trainings should take into account businesses’ needs and in particular facilitate access to cybersecurity talents for SMEs and start-ups across all sectors. To ensure the high levels of cybersecurity necessary for digital public administration, the Academy should cater for the upskilling, reskilling and interdisciplinary understanding of cybersecurity for civil servants. Consortia of organisations active in the domain of cybersecurity and universities or training providers should devise and deliver the activities of the Academy. Activities should include, among others, the identification of relevant training courses, including bootcamps on specific cybersecurity topics, jointly vetted with industrial partners that would enhance employability of trainees or increase cybersecurity capabilities of public servants, communication actions for promoting the courses, etc. The involvement of the national cybersecurity competence centres could be foreseen to address specific needs at national level, where significant variations exist as to the level of cybersecurity readiness. Setting-up and operating the Cybersecurity Skills Academy  Definition of a set of clear KPIs to measure the impact of the different actions considered under the scope of the Academy  Bringing together relevant players from all Member States for monitoring the cybersecurity skills landscape, following up its evolution and taking action to help Member States develop specialised training programmes, in particular addressing cybersecurity start-ups and SMEs as well as public administrations to address the cybersecurity skills gap  Exploring, defining and setting up an impactful scheme promoting the standardisation of procedures for cybersecurity competence recognition and professional certification in the European market  Promoting the development and the use of up-to-date curricula in cybersecurity  Performing communication around this initiative, to engage stakeholders and to facilitate the interactions between those stakeholders  Leveraging the Digital Skills & Jobs Platform to support the Academy and integrating the existing best practices that will feed the Academy