We partnered with HMRC to develop the UK’S Cyber Skills Talent Accelerator with the aim of creating talent pathways to the 350,000 cyber security roles that need to be filled.

The Cyber Skills Talent Accelerator uses the Startup Sherpas SuperSquads paid work experience programme and 16×16 Startup Programme to wake teenagers up to the possibility of a career in Cyber Security.

By offering paid work experience opportunities the Talent Accelerator drives diversity into the programme and through a pathway designed to deepen understanding of the topics teenagers are shown the vast variety of roles in the space.

25% of the teenagers participating go onto the Cyber 16×16 programme where they can develop their own cyber security startups. Whether they develop a cluster of startups or bring their entrepreneurial skills back into the workplace, the impact for HMRC and the UK Cyber defences is hugely valuable.

“Startup Sherpas offer the Cyber industry a solution to one of our most pressing issues; talent. We have a gap of 350,000 cyber roles and that means we need a talent accelerator, not just at HMRC but across the cyber space. And to attract that many teenagers to the industry we need to do something vastly different, which is exactly were Startup Sherpas fits.” – Bronagh Healey – Cyber Skills and Resourcing Manager HM Revenue and Customs