A record number of people have applied to join the UK government’s programme to start a new career in the cyber sector.

Over 3,600 people have applied to the Upskill in Cyber programme, with almost half of these applications from women and more than 50 per cent of applications from people based outside London and the southeast.

The scheme is aimed at people from a non-cyber background and is one of the programmes delivered through the government’s £2.6 billion National Cyber Strategy.

The government claims that cyber skills are in huge demand and over 50 per cent of businesses have a basic cyber skills gap. Around 21,600 people are needed each year to fill this demand.

Minister for AI and intellectual property, Viscount Camrose, said that it was encouraging to see people form a wide range of communities apply for the programme.

“The UK’s cyber sector is growing exponentially,” he said. “In just 12 months we’ve seen our 58,000 strong workforce jump by 10 per cent, and ensuring we can maintain a steady supply of diverse, highly-skilled professionals is vital to meet the needs of our growing digital economy.”

He added: “We must continue our work with industry and education to improve tech skills across the economy, and we are continuing to invest in the potential of our brightest minds at all levels to unlock opportunity for people right across the country.”

Share Story: