The United Kingdom Cyber Security Council has released the initial version of its certification mapping tool. It has been developed to map all available cyber security certifications to the sixteen Council-identified specialisations, with the first phase now available.
There is presently at least one certification per specialisation included in the tool, with more to come. The Council intends to provide a comprehensive resource that includes all valuable options for each career path, and the tool will be routinely updated to include new certifications as they become available.
The announcement follows the introduction of the Council’s career mapping tool earlier this year, which provides information about pathways into the sixteen cyber security specialisations based on knowledge areas. Once completed, the certification mapping tool and the career mapping tool will work together to provide a centralised platform outlining routes into each specialism along with certifications that will serve as a clear and accessible roadmap for each individual’s career.
Professor Simon Hepburn, chief executive officer of the UK Cyber Security Council, stated, “There are so many certifications within cyber security that it is difficult for candidates to know where to begin. The Council wants to ensure that certification is not one of the myriad perceived barriers to a career in cyber.
People invest time and money in obtaining certifications, and it is essential that they do so with the knowledge that the level they attain corresponds to the desired specialisation and position.
“At the beginning of his or her career, a junior cyber professional may encounter senior professionals with multiple certifications – most likely because they have acquired them over the course of their careers as various employers have required different skills. This can be intimidating for new candidates, who may not realise that they do not need all of these certifications immediately.
“We are working on a solution to this issue by providing clear guidance on which certifications are required for each specialisation, as well as course costs and reputable providers. Once you’ve identified your area of expertise with our career mapping tool, we want to make the next steps as simple as possible with our certification mapping tool.”
In 2019, the Department for Media, Culture, and Sport (DCMS) tasked the Council with promoting and stewarding nationally recognised cyber security standards in support of the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Strategy.
