With Cyber Scotland week at the end of the month (27th February 27-March 5), Stuart Meiklejohn from Glasgow Science Centre’s STEM Futures team looks at the growing importance of cyber security in Scotland and how growth in this sector could support jobs across the country.

I remember sitting in secondary school in Ayr and writing out my first ’super safe’ password. It was a random string of numbers, letters and symbols, and it took the best part of a double English lesson to learn off by heart. I felt confident that no one could hack into my school email account and from that day forward, I had my trusty password to keep me safe.

I then used that same password for everything. As technology advanced, I started to shop online. I started using social media and even began banking online. With my trusty password now spread across an endless number of accounts and platforms, it wasn’t until a few years ago that I realised how foolish I had been. That one password, which started life protecting my school email account, now held the key to my digital life! With it, anyone could essentially become Stuart Meiklejohn online. Needless to say, I don’t use that password anymore.

Today, our digital self is far better protected, with cyber security built into the websites and devices we use each day. Our phones can check our fingerprints or see if it recognises our bleary face first thing in the morning, to check we are who we claim to be (I know I am looking rough when my phone says it doesn’t recognise my face!). Many of our accounts make us change our passwords regularly and even use our location to check everything is above board. But these are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to keeping us safe online.

In 2020, a survey found that almost half of businesses in the UK (46%) and a quarter of charities (26%) reported having cyber security breaches or attacks in the previous twelve months. As a result, businesses across Scotland are taking cyber security very seriously, and those with skills in this area are in high demand.

Luckily, we are in a good position. Scotland’s long-standing strength in both the financial services and digital tech sectors means we are ahead of the game when it comes to cyber security. Glasgow is increasingly well known for its software developers, Dundee for computer game development and Edinburgh for its digital tech centre. There are almost 250 specific cyber security companies working in Scotland, with jobs such as cyber security researcher and cyber risk advisors common in companies across the country.

What I find exciting is that there are so many different routes into a career in cyber security: a modern apprenticeship, college HNC or HND, graduate apprenticeships, and even an undergraduate degree in cyber security, ethical hacking and digital forensics is available across most major universities.

At Glasgow Science Centre, our STEM Futures outreach project looks to bridge the gap between young people at school, and employment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). We hope to inspire young people to consider a career in the growing STEM sector in Scotland and help fill the skills gap in these areas. We have workshops that are delivered to classrooms across Scotland via live video links, and workshops which we deliver in person in Glasgow Science Centre. All our STEM Futures workshops are free to schools and bookable from our website. When young people learn about the varied and exciting career opportunities in cyber security, they find that there is a space for them, if they want it. There are many routes into employment and they can be part of a growing industry, where a current skills shortage means that employment opportunities look good.

Unfortunately, cybercrime is an unavoidable consequence of our growing use of technology, and we must all take personal responsibility for staying safe online. At the same time, our businesses and technology industry need to continue to work hard in the background to keep us all safe from attack. Let’s just make sure and make it difficult for hackers along the way, and don’t use the same password for everything!