Underpinned by CIISec’s frameworks, the new nuclear sector hub aims to attract new talent, develop professionals’ skills, and encourage best practice in the industry.
LONDON, UK – 05.10.2022 – The Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) today announced the launch of its Nuclear Sector Hub, part of the Institute’s ongoing campaign to support and professionalise cyber security as a whole and within specialist sectors such as policing, law enforcement and academia. Lead by CIISec Fellow Mark Kendrew, CISO of the National Nuclear Laboratory, the hub will tackle cyber security challenges throughout the industry. Its work will include improving collaboration amongst a dispersed workforce; encouraging best practice; improving the skills and experience of nuclear cyber security professionals; and helping to attract new recruits into the industry.
“As a source of low-carbon power, the nuclear sector is a critical industry as the UK increasingly reduces its reliance on fossil fuels to create a greener future,” said Amanda Finch, CEO of CIISec. “With its importance to the UK economy continuing to grow, it’s never been more important to ensure that the sector is well-positioned to fight cyber threats. Key to this will be attracting and retaining a diverse pool of professionals into the industry, and ensuring they have the right skills to protect this unique infrastructure.”
The Nuclear Hub was first unveiled at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s Civil Nuclear Cyber Security Conference. The sector as a whole supports 60,000 jobs across the whole nuclear fuel cycle – from enrichment to decommissioning and waste management – at both the national and regional level. Given the sheer number of people working within the industry, it can be a challenge to promote a cyber security culture. Underpinned by CIISec’s Skills Framework, the Nuclear Hub will help encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing, while standardising best practice across the sector, and ensuring everyone has the skills, knowledge, and confidence to do their jobs effectively.
As well as professionalisation, the Nuclear Hub will also help to support professional development. From encouraging young people to join through CIISec’s network of partners who offer cybersecurity apprenticeships and graduate programmes, to supporting people in progressing their careers from infancy right through to CISO.
“The nuclear industry, like many industries, is suffering a skills shortage,” continues Amanda Finch. “The objective of the Nuclear Hub is to highlight that the nuclear sector is an accessible industry to get into – many skills are transferable and there are opportunities within it for everyone. Encouraging diverse and fresh talent into the industry, and then nurturing them throughout their careers, needs to be a priority. Without this, the industry will remain stagnant: unable to keep pace with and remain resilient against cyber threats.”
Mark Kendrew added, “I am delighted to be leading this new Community Hub that will form an integral part of HM Government’s Civil Nuclear Cyber Strategy – overcoming the geographic spread of our nuclear workforce to enable sharing of best practice; promoting information security careers within our sector; and developing our people against the nationally approved CIISec Skills Framework.”
To learn more about, and to be a part of the evolving community, please contact support@ciisec.org and reference the Nuclear Sector Hub.
