The Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre of Excellence (AMTCE), established by the Louth Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) in 2022 has just launched a substantially funded national cyber security training programme to support industry to combat the shortage of skilled cyber security personnel to guard against the rise incyber threats.
The AMTCE’s ‘Cyber for Advanced Manufacturing Ireland’ suite of programmes were officially launched at an event in Buswells Hotel in Dublin, by Minister of State Ossian Smyth, Martin O’Brien, chief executive of LMETB and founder of AMTCE and independent Senator Gerard Craughwell.
“The objectives of the programme are to increase cyber security skills, public awareness, support job creation and the indigenous cyber security industry by creating an interconnected ecosystem” a spokesperson said.
“It is central to an overall vision for Ireland to become a global cyber security leader and ties into the proposed establishment of a European Cyber Shield to protect, detect, defend, and deter, as outlined the recent EU International Cyber security Forum in April 2023.
“Cyber Ireland’s recent report estimates that Ireland’s cyber security cluster could support up to €2.5bn in annual GVA (Gross Value Added) and the employment of over 17,000 cyber security professionals in the sector by 2030, if the right environment and supports are in place.
“The AMTCE programmes will adopt a multi-facetted approach, generating an Irish talent pipeline to meet the workforce gap of more than 3.4 million* cyber security positions globally. The AMTCE, which is supported by SOLAS and Enterprise Ireland will also be delivering a cyber skills model that may be utilised by other Education and Training Boards.”
Speaking at the launch, Martin O’Brien, chief executive of LMETB and the founder of the AMTCE, said: “Ever increasing levels of connectivity are now exposing factory systems to cyber security risks and manufacturing now accounts for almost 25% of all cyber-attacks. A recent report by KMPG highlighted the fact that nearly 1 in 5 organisations have no factory IT cyber security awareness training to improve the security culture across organisations.
This is a clear deficit that needs to be addressed urgently. I’m delighted to announce today that LMETB and the AMTCE are moving to address the very real needs of industry in this area.
Training has a key role to play in helping the advanced manufacturing sector gain the benefits of Industry 4.0 while mitigating the risks. LMETB and AMTCE provide access and delivery of cyber security related training programmes to provide the necessary skills and knowledge to improve and develop the cyber security ‘IQ’ of Ireland’s advanced manufacturing workforce,” Martin O’Brien continued.
The Estonian ambassador Kairi Kunka was also one of the speakers at the event. She hosted a visit by the AMTCE team to her country as Estonia is ranked among the leading nations in the world for cyber security.
