Research and analysis

Understanding the UK cyber security labour market

The government is carrying out research to help understand and measure the UK cyber security labour market. This will help inform future policy and strategy.

• From: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
• Published: 7 July 2021
• Last updated: 24 June 2022 — See all updates

Documents

Research on cyber security skills: Ipsos privacy policy

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Details

The government is undertaking the latest in an annual survey of UK businesses, public sector organisations and charities to help understand the UK cyber security labour market. The research will examine how organisations approach employing and training cyber security professionals, and understand the issues they face during this process.

The research will continue to inform government policy on the cyber security labour market. You can view the report from the previous year of the study here or access it via the link above.

Ipsos has been commissioned to carry out the survey fieldwork. This is taking place online and by telephone from July 2022 to September 2022.

During this period some organisations will be called by an Ipsos interviewer from their Edinburgh office (dial code 0131) inviting them to take part.

The government and Ipsos can give the following reassurances about the survey:

• taking part is totally confidential and anonymous for all individuals and organisations
• the survey is not technical and participants do not need any specific IT knowledge
• Ipsos would like to speak to businesses, public sector organisations and charities even if they have not had any cyber security recruitment or training issues (this is to help ensure the findings are representative of all organisations)

Who is being invited to take part?

Businesses and public sector organisations across the UK have been selected at random from the government’s Inter-Departmental Business Register. Charities have been selected from the UK’s three charity regulator databases: the Charity Commission in England and Wales, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, and the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. Cyber sector businesses have been selected from a list compiled from various commercial business databases.

Ipsos is inviting the senior person within these organisations, with the most knowledge or responsibility when it comes to cyber security to take part. In some organisations this might be a specific individual or Head of Department, while in other organisations it might be the business owner or one of the charity trustees. In cyber sector businesses, this will be a senior individual with oversight of the organisation’s recruitment and training needs.

What does participation involve?

Participation will involve a telephone interview with an interviewer from Ipsos, who can also provide you with the option to do the survey fully or partially online. On average interviews last around 15 minutes. If you consent to take part in a follow-up interview at a later date, these will last around 45 minutes. The interview will take place at a time that is convenient for you.

Published 7 July 2021
Last updated 24 June 2022 + show all updates

1. 24 June 2022

   Updated for 2022.

2. 7 July 2021

   First published.