Local Manchester company looking to train veterans with key cyber security skills
MANCHESTER – Raytheon UK, a local Manchester technology company, is offering 50 fully funded places for veterans to attend their virtual Cyber Academy workshop. The online workshops focus on training those with no previous experience in coding but who are passionate about protecting the UK in the digital age.
With cyber power becoming an ever more vital lever of national power and a source of strategic advantage Raytheon UK’s workshops aim to help address cyber security gaps and strengthen the UK’s cyber capabilities. As a technology and innovation leader specialising in defence and national security, Raytheon UK is committed to the United Kingdom’s security, defence and skills in an increasingly hostile global climate.
“The workshops have always been aimed at those with no previous experience of security-related tasks and concepts” said James Gray, managing director for Cyber, Space and Training at Raytheon UK. “We are keen to provide our military veterans with a glimpse of what it is like to work with Raytheon UK’s cyber team, where our innovation protects against the most complex threats and vulnerabilities.”
The free multi-course training program course, delivered in partnership with the University of Texas, is available to UK veterans and includes classes tailored to all different stages of an individual’s cybersecurity journey.
“We are particularly proud to offer these free cyber training opportunities to veterans as they transition to the next stage of their lives,” added Gray. “With the support of charities like the Career Transition Partnership, Royal Air Forces Association, and SSAFA, the armed forces charity, we hope to leverage the unique skills and experiences of veterans in the vitally important area of cybersecurity.”
To complete the course and receive their certificates, veterans will be given an exercise in which they are tasked with securing a target system using the knowledge that they gain throughout the workshops. These types of skills, according to lecturer Dwayne Williams from the University of Texas, will put them in good stead for a future career in cyber.
“Technical workshops cover topics and hands-on skills that are not often addressed in a traditional academic courses,” said Williams. “Workshops like these absolutely help veterans prepare for careers in information technology and cybersecurity.”
To support the continuation of their cybersecurity journeys, veterans that successfully complete this year’s workshops will be invited to a meeting hosted by the Raytheon UK team to hear first-hand what it is like to work in the cybersecurity sector and what a career at Raytheon UK looks like.
“We collaborate with universities to support the development of advanced cyber skills in the UK because it’s one of the best ways of getting people into the sector,” said Gray. “In a fast-changing world, it is vital that cyber knowledge is taught throughout the education system, and we are here to inspire the next generation of cyber leaders.”
If you are a veteran interested in registering for the workshops, please email corporatecommunications@raytheon.co.uk
