Post by Cyber Co-ordination and Leadership Team, Welsh Government
Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg
Two years ago we launched the Cyber Action Plan for Wales, setting out our vision that Wales prospers through cyber resilience, talent and innovation.
The Plan’s four priority areas are to:
- Grow our cyber ecosystem
- Build a pipeline of cyber talent
- Strengthen our resilience
- Protect public services
You can find out more about why we’re focusing on these priorities in our previous blogs.
With a fast-changing cyber landscape, we asked Professor Pete Burnap, Professor of Data Science & Cyber Security at Cardiff University and Director of the Cyber Innovation Hub, to work with us to review how far we’ve come, the activity taking place under the Cyber Action Plan for Wales and to understand how we could measure and evaluate our progress in the future. This involved desk-based research and stakeholder workshops both with our colleagues across the Welsh Government and with representatives from the cyber industry in Wales.
The Cyber Innovation Hub receives funding from the Welsh Government, so while this exercise is not fully independent, it is a useful snapshot carried out by highly experienced professionals working in the cyber ecosystem in Wales.
Key themes
Professor Burnap’s work shows that we’re making strides in several areas. There is extensive activity taking place to boost the cyber resilience of public services, such as the launch of the UK’s first national security operations centre as well programmes that support skills and training for a career in cyber . Alongside this, our International Strategy puts cyber as a priority growth sector for Wales.
He also outlined some areas for us to consider in the future.These are:
- Communications & Messaging – We need to keep our story about the cyber ecosystem in Wales clear and evidence-based so that everyone promoting the cyber ecosystem in Wales has a consistent story to tell. This will help showcase the cyber services available in Wales, emphasise our specific strengths and fantastic talent, and attract companies to relocate their cyber operations to Wales. We should also be clear about what the demand is for cyber services in Wales from other sectors.
- UK Alignment – Building stronger partnerships with UK bodies to encourage collaboration and drive investment in the cyber sector in Wales.
- Cyber Careers – Mapping out career paths into cyber roles by engaging with schools and building relationships with industry. A review of the Curriculum for Wales’ Digital Competence Framework should consider the skills learners need to use digital technology safely and effectively and form the building blocks for a future career in cyber.
- Cyber Resilience – Continuously improving cyber defences for Welsh public services and the private sector.
What we are doing
We have been working across government to carefully consider these themes and the steps we can take in delivering the vision set out in the Cyber Action Plan for Wales.
We are refreshing our messaging on the cyber sector in Wales to make sure it’s evidence-based and clear.
We are already working closely with the UK Government to give Wales a strong voice in the direction of cyber policy and so we can benefit from UK wide initiatives. We are working collaboratively with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to support businesses and citizens in Wales and we are also strengthening links with the UK Cyber Security Council.
We have started work on reviewing the Curriculum for Wales’ Digital Competence Framework to make sure it reflects advances in modern technology. The revised framework will provide clearer national principles to support teachers and learners in developing effective digital learning. We are working with different parts of industry, including the cyber industry, to understand the skills needed for future careers.
Plus, we are exploring how best to use the generous funding from our Flexible Skills Programme to create meaningful training opportunities that support successful careers in cyber.
Given the sensitive nature of cyber resilience, we can’t share all the specific activity taking place. However, work continuesbehind the scenes on our support for public services and advising businesses, ensuring we take a ‘defend as one’ approach.
Next steps
Keep an eye out for our next update – we’ll share more details in a future blog as we continue to review and develop the activities delivered under the Cyber Action Plan for Wales. Our goal is to ensure that Wales remains competitive, resilient, and as secure as possible in a fast-moving cyber world.