The UK saw record numbers of teenagers developing their cybersecurity skills this summer across a range of virtual and in-person courses.

According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), over 1,850 teenagers joined in its popular CyberFirst summer courses. This is the second year in a row that saw record participation, with courses moving online for the first time in 2020.

The courses saw pupils aged 14-17 learning about cybersecurity topics such as digital forensics, ethical hacking, and cryptography.

In addition, the courses were made up of 43% girls, while pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds secured 47% of places. The cybersecurity industry suffers from a lack of diversity in the industry, as just 16% of the UK’s cyber sector workforce are women and 17% are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

NCSC Deputy Director for Cyber Growth Chris Ensor said: “It’s fantastic to see so many young people engaging with cybersecurity and developing the skills that will help them thrive in the industry.

“Our summer courses provide fun, hands-on opportunities to learn about defending our digital world and we hope they will be inspired to pursue their interests further.

“It’s vital the next generation of cyber experts is diverse as well as skilled, and through CyberFirst we are committed to making the industry a more accessible and inclusive place for all.”

A total of 1,866 pupils secured places on the courses this year. The number of applications this year was also record-breaking, increasing from 3,909 in 2020 to 4,384.

CyberFirst aims to support young people interested in pursuing cybersecurity on their journey. In a recent survey, around a third of pupils on the CyberFirst bursary programme said they had previously attended a CyberFirst course.

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More than ever, digital skills are essential.

Scotland and the UK in general have been faced with a digital skills gap even before Covid-19 hit. Since then, many companies have taken their operations online, whether it is creating a digital storefront or managing a major cloud-based system.

One study warned that 52% of the UK’s workforce lacks the digital skills needed for the future economy, with around 17.1 million people in need of training. This lack of digital skills is holding back many businesses in the UK, making them less competitive and holding the country back on a global scale.

On top of that, a recent report from the NAO warned that government decision-makers need to boost their cyberskills in order to deliver digital transformation projects.

Along with the digital transformation, the pandemic has brought a major increase in cybercrime. UK businesses have been hit by 14.6 million ransomware attacks this year alone, a 151% increase compared to the first half of 2020.

All this points to a need for more people with digital skills, especially in cybersecurity. However, these skills take time to develop. As such, bringing people into the digital skill pipeline is an essential strategy for building the next generation of cyber professionals.

Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman said: “The need for cutting-edge cybersecurity has never been greater and this resilient sector is continuing to grow and solidify its status as a jewel in the UK’s tech crown.

“It’s fantastic to see so many young people from diverse backgrounds develop cyber skills over the summer as it is vital that the industry has a strong pipeline of talent for years to come.”