New £150,000 cyber training grant for Welsh public services

Grant funding worth £150,000 to help strengthen cyber resilience skills across the public sector has been announced by Finance Minister Rebecca Evans today.

This new investment will fund up to 50 accredited training places for IT professionals with a responsibility for cyber security across the sector, including local authorities, fire service, police forces and health boards.

With the increase in demand on IT services since the start of the pandemic, the funding will help deliver consistent training across the public sector with a focus on managing a secure and resilient cyber service.

Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said:

“We have seen a noticeable rise in the use of digital technology during the pandemic. More people than ever are staying connected online, so it’s really important that we take the right measures to ensure that Wales continues to be a cyber-secure nation.

“The funding I am announcing today will help upskill IT professionals across the public sector, so they are best placed to safeguard against potential cyber threats.”

This funding is the latest in a series of improvement measures being taken to keep Wales cyber-secure. In May the Welsh Government announced an extra £248,000 to help local authorities strengthen their cyber resilience in response to the coronavirus crisis.