The UK’s big data future is bright. To ensure it remains so, we must ensure we have the talent required to support the delivery of the big data revolution.

On 5th October 3pm-5pm come and learn more about the UK’s Big Data Skills Gap as techUK launch its new paper ‘Understanding, Demystifying and Addressing the UK’s Big Data Skills Gap’.

The big data revolution is expected to be worth £241 billion to the UK’s economy and create 157,000 additional jobs by 2020. The benefits of big data to organisations of all size and sector are well known, including unlocking greater insights, risk management, cost efficiencies and the personalisation of goods and services.

However for the UK to realise the benefits it will need to ensure there are enough individuals with the relevant skills to implement big data strategies. The big data and data analytics market is expected to account for the largest proportion of digital vacancies, which is already costing the UK £2 billion.

techUK has been exploring key questions about the UK’s big data skills gap. First, what skills are actually required when implementing a big data strategy, given the vast supply chain involved? Secondly, where is the UK’s big data skills gap? Which skills are missing and which do we actually have enough of? Is there a particular area where the UK lacks skilled individuals more than others? It seems to be frequently cited that the UK lacks data scientists, but is that the whole picture? Data scientists alone do not deliver entire Big Data strategies, there are others involved.

At this event techUK will present the findings of its new paper, which identifies which skills are currently most in-demand and what steps need to be taken by government and industry to begin tackling the gap. All delegates will also receive a copy of the paper.

You will hear the views of industry leaders on the UK’s big data future and what needs to be done to increase the big data skills pipeline in the UK.

If you want to be part of the conversation on how the UK ensures we have the right skills to deliver the big data revolution then register to attend now.

Speakers will be confirmed.

For more information on Big Data and Analytics, please contact:

{bio}jeremy.lilley@techuk.org{/bio}

As the race for the White House heats up, political campaigns of all colour and variety are increasingly using big data and data analytics tools and technologies to improve their chances.

In the UK, the 2015 General Election was seen as the first big data election, with political parties employing techniques to target their advertising and campaigning efforts to marginal constituencies and swing voters. techUK looked into the use of big data in the 2015 General Election at the time. This followed the successful use of data during President Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012.

As reported by Nesta in the run up to the 2015 UK General Election, big data campaigning has allowed political parties to develop a more detailed picture of voters. Some of the uses of big data by political parties include understanding motives, likelihood to vote, and the location of potential voters.

However in an interview with TechRepublic, Trace Anderson, of New York-based analytics company CFB Strategies, has suggested that the use of big data and data analytics can also help campaigns in their fundraising efforts. Ted Cruz’s campaign for the Republican nomination for US President raised more than $92 million by employing big data techniques according to Anderson. This was achieved by integrating various data sources, which allowed the campaign to understand the most effective way of seeking donations, both in terms of messaging and which digital platform they used.

The campaign was therefore able to target its fundraising efforts at those people most likely to donate, which led to more than 1.5 million donations from more than 500,000 donors.

Highlighting the intricate relationship between big data and cloud computing, Anderson outlines how all of the data collected during campaigns flows immediately into the Campaign Cloud, which provides a central data platform to run operations from. The Campaign Cloud, essentially a political CRM, provides the ability to draw insights on voters, volunteers and donors. Resources can then be used as efficiently as possible in targeting the most important individuals.

The continued use of big data in political campaigns follows a trend set by the US Democrats and President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. Obama revolutionised the way data was used during that campaign, hiring a large team of data analysts and running 66,000 computer simulations every day. The success in learning more about voters, understanding their intentions and whether or not they could be swayed during the Obama 2012 campaign set the bar for others, who are clearly now following suit.

The use of big data in political campaigns has the same basis as the use of big data in other industries. As techUK continue to highlight, data-driven strategies provide a greater return on investment through cost efficiencies, improved risk management, personalisation of goods and services and more effective decision-making.

Organisations of all size and sector stand to benefit from the use of big data, data analytics and cloud computing. techUK’s Cloud, Big Data & Analytics programme continues to champion the benefits of these technologies to the UK. On 20 October techUK will be holding a Cloud Clinic in Newcastle highlighting the benefits of cloud computing to SMEs, while on 25 October 2016 techUK’s Big Data Roadshow will be travelling to Manchester with a focus on how big data and data analytics can improve healthcare treatment and diagnosis.

If you would like to find out more about techUK’s Cloud, Big Data & Analytics programme please do get in touch.

On 23rd November 11:00 – 15:30 come to the first of a two-part series on the use of digital technologies, such as Big Data and the Internet of Things, in the UK’s Agricultural industry.

Partnering with the National Farmers Union (NFU) techUK are bringing the technology and agriculture communities together to explore possible ways they can work together for mutual benefit. Following a successful techUK event earlier in the year it is clear that this sector stands to benefit a huge amount from employing data-driven strategies and utilising the advancement of connected devices. Greater precision, higher crop yields and a better understanding of the potential uses of land are some of the ways that technology could improve farmers’ outcomes.

At this first event, NFU members will highlight and present to techUK members on how they currently interact with digital technologies and what challenges they currently face, which tech could resolve.

This will provide techUK members with the opportunity to hear first-hand the direct needs of an industry increasingly relying on IoT and data-driven strategies. That insight will allow members to consider how their innovative businesses could develop solutions that would directly resolve real issues faced by farmers today.

A second event will then provide the opportunity for the tech sector to present their solutions to the farming industry.

If you would like to attend this event, where lunch will be provided, and find out more about the tech needs of the agriculture sector please register here or get in touch.

{bio}jeremy.lilley@techuk.org{/bio}
{bio}Aimee.Betts-Charalambous@techUK.org{/bio}

This week, techUK responds to the Home Affairs Committee report on tackling online extremism, Jeremy Corbyn MP sets out his digital democracy manifesto, and Nicola Sturgeon will appoint a new Brexit Minister. All this and more in the final Policy Pulse before MPs return from recess.

Find out about all this and more in your weekly tech update. 

You can sign up here for future editions of the Policy Pulse direct to your inbox.

Top Tech Policy News

Home Affairs Committee Report Concerned Over Online Extremism (BBC)
Our Director of Policy Charlotte Holloway highlights tech firms' commitment to tackling online extremism as a serious and ongoing priority.

Corbyn Launches Digital Manifesto (BBC)
Assortment of pledges includes Digital Bill of Rights, making publicly funded software open source and Digital Citizen Passport but no emphasis on growing digital economy.

Cabinet to Meet This Week over UK's Single Market Access (Guardian)
Prime Minister said to be expecting to see initial plans from her most senior Ministers as views vary among Cabinet on nature of Single Market access.

GCSE Results Show Computing Increase but STEM Still Lagging (Computer Weekly)
Despite increase in girls doing IT, STEM subjects saw largest falls in pupils attaining top grades.

techUK Action & Reaction

techUK Meets with New Head of Prime Minister's Policy Unit (techUK)
Industrial strategy, supporting scaleups and sector's important voice in Brexit negotiations discussed with new policy chief, John Godfrey.

Corbyn's Digital Manifesto Needs More Work (techUK)
Deputy CEO Antony Walker says intention is right but policies feel like 20th century response to 21st century world.

Read techUK's Response to Home Affairs Committee's Online Extremism Report (techUK)
Director of Policy Charlotte Holloway says report paints an inaccurate picture of sector's hard work in tackling online extremism.

New Cabinet Office Minister to Launch Supplier Standard Public Beta (techUK)
Ben Gummer MP to launch new beta standards developed in conjunction with techUK to support digital transformation of government services.

Number of Girls Taking Computing GCSEs More Than Doubles (techUK)
techUK welcomes the increase, saying it is a positive step in boosting the UK's tech talent pipeline. 

Brexit Bulletin & Brussels Bulletin

EU Copyright Reforms Propose Ancillary Copyright for Publishers (Ars Technica)
Leaked Impact Assessment appears to show U-turn on copyright issues despite Commissioner Ansip pledging not to tax hyperlinks.

Nicola Sturgeon Appoints New Brexit Minister (Guardian)
Former Scottish Education Secretary Michael Russell MSP tasked with protecting Scottish interests and shaping terms of UK's Brexit negotiations.

Vicky Ford MEP's Overview of the Dynamics of Brexit Negotiations (ConHome)
Chair of the influential Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee gives the insider's view on how the negotiations may shape up across a range of areas.

Tech City UK Chair Eileen Burbidge Makes Positive Case for London's Role as International Tech Hub post-Brexit (Bloomberg) 

More News & Comments

Could Potential US Entrepreneur Visa Be a Model for Post-Brexit UK? (New York Times)
EU Needs to Act Now If It Is to Make Most of Self-Driving Cars (PoliticoPro)
How Camden Council Is Embracing Digital to Transform Local Public Services (Medium)
Banks Plan to Coin New Digital Currency (FT £)

We're Hiring!

We're looking for great people to join the techUK team. Check out the latest roles below!

Public Relations Manager
The Public Relations Manager will provide PR and social media support, working closely with the marketing team.

Programme Head - Health and Social Care
The Programme Head will devise, lead and implement the Health and Social Care Programme ensuring outputs meet techUK's four key pillars.

Head of Public Services
The Head of Public Services will be responsible for developing and promoting our public services proposition.

Check out our website for all our vacancies.

Upcoming Events - View full events calendar

Sept 07 - Supplier Standard Public Beta Launch with New Minister for the Cabinet Office

Sept 12 - SME Financing Post-Brexit: Will Alternative Finance Take the Lead?

Sept 14 - Local Gov: The Next Frontier in our Digital Revolution

Oct 27 - Women of Silicon Roundabout - Developing the Future for Women in Tech

Nov 03 - techUK - US Embassy: Global Entry Enrolment Interviews

Nov 09 - Supercharging the Digital Economy Conference

Nov 10 - Digital Devolution: Powering Growth (Manchester)

Nov 29 - techUK Introductory Evening - November 2016

As ever, please get in touch with the team and let us know if there are topics you'd like us to include, leave out, or talk about. We really do like feedback!

{bio}tom.morrison-bell@techuk.org{/bio}

As part of techUK’s ongoing engagement with the Crown Commercial Service (CCS), we are seeking member views on an important initiative to simplify the procurement process for suppliers.

techUK’s report ‘Procuring for Innovation and Growth’, which was based on the views of 171 small businesses, found that the top three barriers for SMEs accessing the public sector market were:

• 64% highlighted onerous procurement process;
• 59% highlighted risk averse culture in the civil service;
• 33% highlighted onerous terms and conditions in public sector contracts.

Simplification of the Bidding Process

CCS has made a number of changes to simplify the previous Bidder Pack. Collectively, the aim is for these changes to give CCS tender documents a whole new look and feel with everything the supplier needs to know to price effectively in one place. In addition, CCS has changed the evaluation method to make it less restrictive and encourage supplier innovation. Other changes include:

• Reduced amount of documents and reduced length of Invitation to Tender Documents;
• A clear split between ‘CCS needs’ and the ‘customer needs’ so suppliers can clearly see what they need to do and for whom;
• Use of plain English as much as possible (less jargon, clear, concise, more direct language).

Have Your Say and Help Simplify the Bidding Process for Government Contracts

We welcome this latest initiative by CCS to develop simple, easy and accessible procurement vehicles. This work is part of ongoing activity by CCS and GDS to design government contracts for the digital age that are short, simple and accessible. This will encourage a more diverse range of suppliers to apply to supply their services to government, including SMEs.

techUK is working closely with CCS on the new iteration of the streamlined Bidder Pack to test whether the changes have improved the user experience for providers. We would like to hear about your experience of completing tender documents when bidding for government work, particularly if you are a small business.

If you would be interested in providing feedback, please contact Rob Driver for a copy of the new Bidder Pack, and guidance on how to provide structured feedback.

Relevant information

New Small Business Crown Representative Appointed

Small Business Leaders Share their Thoughts on Public Sector Tech

SME Crown Representative Responds to techUK

As part of our ongoing work to campaign for smarter buying from government and support the development of simpler and more accessible procurement vehicles, techUK has launched a survey seeking member views on the next phase of G-Cloud and Digital Outcomes & Specialists (DOS).

techUK’s 2015 SME Survey showed G-Cloud was the clear 'star of the show’, with 80% of SMEs saying it had helped them access the market. However, SMEs also felt widespread concern that public sector commissioners are not making sufficient use of all the tools at their disposal with 86% of SMEs saying that civil servants need to make more of the Digital Marketplace.

The Digital Marketplace is transforming the way the public sector commissions digital and cloud services, by making it simpler, clearer and faster for them to buy what they need. The service allows all public sector organisations to find and buy cloud-based services, specialists who can work on digital projects and physical data centre space.

G-Cloud and DOS are part of the Digital Marketplace. The G-Cloud is the framework Government uses to purchase cloud services (e.g. web hosting or IT health checks), and DOS is a framework for the public sector to procure specialist resources to deliver agile software development. G-Cloud 8 has attracted a higher number of new suppliers than any previous iteration of the G-Cloud. The new service went live on the Digital Marketplace on 1 August and the public sector now has access to over 26,000 services and 2726 suppliers (90% of these being SMEs).

techUK has worked closely with the Government Digital Service (GDS) and the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) to increase awareness and use of G-Cloud in the tech market and amongst buyers, and to inform the development and growth of the Digital Marketplace. Our work together has included Market Briefings, G-Cloud discovery sessions and a series of regional events on the Digital Marketplace that in total brought together over 200 suppliers and 100 buyers.

Have Your Say and Take Part in Our Survey

techUK has been supporting the G-Cloud 9 Discovery by engaging with suppliers so that the next iteration is informed by user needs and provides an end-to-end journey for users. 

We will use the findings of this survey to develop a clear set of recommendations on the next phase of G-Cloud and DOS, and to inform our future engagement with Government. If you would like to complete the survey, please do so by 9 September. This survey is only open to techUK members.

Relevant Information

CCS is currently undertaking a cloud, digital, cyber and transformational enabling discovery, and will be launching a survey soon to get the views of the tech market

Building a procurement option that meets user needs

Towards delivering digital outcomes for Government

Harnessing the transformative power of digital for effective modern crime prevention

Join techUK on 10 November at the annual Justice & Emergency Services reception, hosted at London & Partners, Tower Room 

This reception is an opportunity to meet fellow members of the supplier community, and to hear from senior stakeholders from the world of policing about the future of digitised Justice and Emergency Services. The audience will be composed of leading figures from the supplier community (both challenger new entrants and established players operating in the market) and we are also expecting stakeholders from the Home Office, Police Forces, Ministry of Justice, and the NCA to attend.

Confirmed speaker:

• Martin Wyke, CEO, Police ICT

Martin has spent the last 30 years working for companies in the retail and telecommunications/media sectors as well as a short tenure with CSC – a large systems integrator ad outsourcer. Martin has held CIO positions at Debenhams, Energis, Littlewoods Shop Direct Group, Virgin Media and most recently TalkTalk.

He has experience in IT solutions aimed at driving forward efficiency and effectiveness, most recently in telecommunications. He has a proven track record of leading IT organisations while stabilising service, coupled with initiating and delivering significant business and digital transformational programmes. At TalkTalk he had full production responsibility for all IT and customer-facing platforms and ownership of the delivery of all technology programmes. Prior to 2012 he was Chief Technology Information Officer and member of the Operating Board at Virgin Media for three years.

Event timings: 

18:30 Welcome drinks 

19:00 Speeches 

19:45 Drinks & canapes

21:30 Event close

Cost to attend:

techUK Members - Free of charge

Non-Members - £50 + VAT 

Sponsorship opportunities:

Sponsorship packages are available for this event. If you are interested in finding out more please contact francesca.whyte@techuk.org 

For any additional information please get in touch:

The UK’s payment system may be in for a fundamental shake-up if proposals form the stakeholder body, the Payments Strategy Forum, are followed. The proposals are currently out for consultation and techUK is preparing a response. This is an opportunity for the technology industry to make its voice heard in developments which are likely to shape the payments market for decades to come – and we invite all members to comment on the consultation.

The Payments Strategy Forum’s draft strategy, entitled ‘Being Responsive to User Needs’, was published in mid-July. The Forum is made up of payments experts from across the market and was created by the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) in March 2015. Its specific focus is on developing a strategy for the payments sector where the industry needs to work together. Its creation follows on from the PSR’s own Policy Statement, ‘A new regulatory framework for payment systems in the UK’.
Consultation on the draft is open until 14 September 2016 and the Forum intends to publish a final report in November this year. Following this, the Payments Systems Regulator will decide how the proposals are to be implemented and which bodies should be tasked to do this.

The strategy proposes some quite major changes to the structure of the payment system which would put tech at the heart of a new architecture and techUK fully welcomes this aspect of the proposals. The main points of the draft strategy are:
• Consolidation of BACS, Cheque and Clearing Company and Faster Payments into a single entity
• The universal adoption of ISO 20022
• The development of APIs under common standards and governance
• The development of a single payment delivery mechanism - to be a platform connecting all payments and providers including non-bank players
• The introduction of safeguards against fraud and financial crime
• Several specific elements to enhance payments for consumers (request to pay and assurance data).

techUK has written a draft response to this consultation document and welcomes contributions from all members. This is an important consultation and we wish to send a response that reflects all your views.

If you would like a copy of the draft response or to discuss further, please contact ruth.milligan@techuk.org

To paraphrase Monty Python, what has digital technology ever done for us? When you’re in our sector it’s easy to dismiss this as obvious – but it is worth taking a step back to consider the true impact on people’s daily lives.

Digital technology has democratised information, given consumers and businesses unparalleled choice, is in the midst of transforming personal healthcare, saves us energy on an incredible scale, plots our most efficient route to work where it enables a variety of ways to be productive and innovative, and in our leisure time allows us to watch clips of beloved television programmes! 

It’s also an engine of economic growth. With the adoption and implementation of technology right across both the public and private sectors, digital is expected to contribute £180bn to the UK’s overall economy this year alone. So, to answer Monty Python’s question, technology has built a digital ecosystem that provides the very foundations of our thriving digital economy and society. Foundations that will be fundamental to the next wave of our digital development.

But it’s important that we do not become complacent. We must ensure the UK maintains its position as a world leader for tech in what is an increasingly global and competitive market place. From chip design to world leading capabilities in artificial intelligence, we are already leading the world. But it is important that we ask ourselves what we need to do to ensure we are ready and able to supercharge the UK’s digital economy.

We must think big, and aim not only to maintain, but to accelerate our global leadership in tech. To ensure this happens there are three key issues that must be addressed.

Data driven world: Firstly, we must ensure data can flow freely within the UK and internationally. A digital economy is powered by data, and anything that stands in the way of data transfers will be an obstacle to growth and job creation.

Connectivity: To be a leader on the global stage, we need a communications infrastructure that provides world class connectivity with the choice, coverage and quality needed for mass adoption of cloud computing, the Internet of Things and the rise of the Smart City. None of these technologies will deliver the benefits they promise without connectivity. Government must work with industry to maximise and incentivise investment.

Closing the skills gap: A digital economy can only thrive if we have the talent and the skills to propel UK businesses to success. The UK tech sector needs the ability to retain, attract and built a talent pool that will fill the jobs of today and tomorrow.

If we can get all of this right, we can guarantee all UK organisations, regardless of size or sector, are able to truly capitalise on the interconnected nature of the UK’s digital ecosystem. Just as the invention of the printing press and the industrial revolution, the UK’s digital ecosystem is the engine driving forward the UK’s digital, and wider, economic growth, increased productivity and job creation.

To keep moving forward, industry needs to continue to strive to fully explain the benefits of these technologies to companies in the wider economy to encourage take up. In parallel, we need to ensure that consumers continue to use digital services confidently and securely. We also have a responsibility to our employees to make sure they have the right skills to fully exploit the advantages of technology.

Yet Government too must take a role in creating the right environment. In these uncertain times, we need principle-based regulatory frameworks that not only stand the test of these fast moving times but enable technology to thrive. Ensuring that technologies such as IoT, Cloud, Big Data, AI, Fintech and telecoms, which are driving the digital economy, are at the heart of the UK Governments upcoming Industrial and Digital Strategies will be vital if we are to supercharge the UK’s digital economy and ensure we maintain our position as a world leader in tech.

On 9 November, the tech community will come together to discuss what the future holds at our Supercharging the Digital Economy event, with a keynote speech from The Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, Minister of State for Digital and Culture.

Technology has given us so much already, but we are still in the foothills of the benefits it can deliver our economy and society.

This article originally appeared on ITProPortal

**SAVE THE DATE**

On 13 October techUK will host a special one-day conference to explore the need for standards to promote growth of fintech for financial services.

This is a joint event with Finextra and the British Standards Institute with the backing of the FCA.

We will have speakers from across industry to discuss follow-on from the BSI/Finextra report: A Roadmap for Fintech Standards as well as the FCA’s Feedback Statement on Call for Input: Supporting the development and adopters of RegTech

Further details to follow shortly.

techUK’s Payments Working Group is open to all interested members of techUK. It will examine specific issues arising from the current revolutions in the payments sector i.e. the increasing impact of mobile technology, the impact of regulation, the shift from cash/cheques to electronic payments and the expectations of consumers. The group will determine its own aims and workplan.

Specific issues the group will examine include:

• techUK’s response to the Payment Strategy Forum’s draft strategy
• The implementation and impact of PSD II – the emergence of third party payment providers
• Alternative technologies operating outside traditional payment rails
• The increased role of data and opportunities for extra customer services
• Mobile and e-money

Interim Chair: Ruth Milligan, Head of Financial Services & Payments, techUK

The newly formed Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, set up by Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis, has recently launched a consultation in support of its aim to conduct research and policy development work to break the link between financial difficulty and mental health problems.

The consultation document focuses on regulating spending in periods of poor mental health, following research findings that 93% of people with mental illness spend more when they are unwell. The document sets out evidence for the linkage between mental health and spending, questions to explore and possible solutions.

As well as the mental health profession, the Institute is seeking expertise from financial services, retail, and technology industries in order to develop practically useful and technically possible solutions. The document suggests self-imposed spending restrictions, measures to increase friction in online retail and the provision of innovative money management products, for those experiencing mental health problems.

The document can be found here.

If you would like to find out more or input into the consultation, please contact ruth.milligan@techuk.org

Under the Security and Resilience Growth Partnership the Home Office has committed £11m over the next four years to establish a capability where Government and the security sector (industry and academia) can work in partnership. This will support the response to both urgent and longer term threats to UK national security as well as seizing opportunities to support the growth of the security sector.

The Joint Security and Resilience Centre (JSaRC) will act as the front door for the security sector to access the complex security machinery of Government, becoming Government’s primary means of coordinating industry support, refining requirements, understanding the industry offer and sharing strategic priorities.

JSaRC will be jointly funded by industry and Government, staffed by both officials and industry secondees. The Home Office are keen to engage with suppliers who would like to offer either secondees or other industry contributions such as the use of facilities on a temporary or permanent basis, specific injection of expertise and capabilities on specific projects or providing funds. In addition, an ‘SME panel’ has been proposed to ensure representation of SME suppliers.

Industry secondees with a broad range of skills are required, those with experience in the following are particularly welcomed: marketing, business development, and solution/general sales. Individuals should have experience in the defence or security sector.

Companies that become involved in the running of JSaRC will have the opportunity to help shape the priorities and work programme for JSaRC. Government has already started to commission JSaRC; initial work areas include:

• Triage of digital evidence in policing and serious organised crime
• Tools which enable access to the internet for wide use amongst police
• Developing models and delivering a new joint approach to the security of airports, borders and crowded places
• Increasing exploitation of counter-terrorist and aviation security solutions
• Identifying opportunities for police innovation funding.

Further details regarding the scope and objectives of JSaRC are available in the attached document. If you are interested in contributing to the new Centre, please email Eleanor.rice@adsgroup.org.uk with an outline of your proposed offering, and meetings with the Home Office Security Industry Engagement Directorate (SIED) will be arranged as required to discuss supplier proposals in more detail. A briefing day will be scheduled for early October to engage with suppliers who indicate their intent to wish to participate in the running of JSaRC.

Over the past year techUK has been actively supporting SIED as they worked to lay the ground work for this new Centre, and would urge interested members to get in touch.

{bio}henry.rex@techuk.org{/bio}

The 2016 annual UAS conference will provide an update on the latest applications - exploring some of the more interesting and challenging uses.  This will be supported by a review of regulatory and technological progress towards Beyond Line of Sight operation for large and small, military and civil RPAS.  In addition the conference will provide update on UK Government activity including its near term plans and an introduction to some new enabling research and development activities including low level traffic management will be provided.

Latest speaker confirmed:

Safety Challenges Presented by Automated Road Vehicles

Alan Peters, Principal Technologist – Automated Transport Systems Business Unit – Transport System Catapult

Can Autonomous Aircraft be Safe – Ideas from the Maritime World

Nick Tudor, Business Director, D-RisQ Ltd

UTM – What it means for Commercial Entities

Benoit Curdy, Secretary General, Global UTM Association

Sharing the Airspace 

Richard Deakin FRAeS, Chairman EMEA, AirMap

Register for the conference here. Please disseminate and share the conference details with any colleagues that may be interested in attending.

For further information, please contact conference@aerosociety.com or call +44(0)20 7670 4345

Join their conference sponsors: Full package details available here

The RAeS look forward to welcoming you to the Society 

We are pleased to announce that the techUK Information Superiority Council will host a briefing from Air Cdre Simon Rochelle, ACOS Air Capability Development, Royal Air Force. 

Date: 18 Nov 16

Time: 1000-1200

Venue: techUK offices, 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD

Chaired by the Information Superiority Council Chair:

AVM (Ret'd) Stu Butler, Director Operational Requirements, BAE Systems – Military Air and Information

As ACOS Air Capability Development, Air Cdre Rochelle is response for developing 'coherent and coordinated policies and plans, consistent with the RAF Strategic Vision, which enable Air Command to deliver its outputs now and in the future.'

We have invited him to to discuss his considerations for future of rapid air organisation and current C4ISR requirements and challenges. Further information will be announced shortly, 

This event will be open to members only.

{bio}stephanie.searle@techuk.org{/bio}

The Security and Resilience Industry Suppliers Community (RISC) has been working with the Home Office Security Industry Engagement Directorate (SIED) and Department for International Trade (DIT) to ensure the Japanese officials responsible for securing the 2020 Olympics are aware of the UK industrial offer, both building on London 2012 as well as ensuring awareness of more recent market innovations.

SIED will be in country at Asia Pacific Stadia Arena event with the primary aim of developing G2G discussions, however they welcome contact from suppliers who will also be exhibiting at this event. Following the G2G discussions there will be a Home Office/DIT briefing to the security sector regarding capability requirements for Tokyo 2020 – this will be scheduled for mid-October in London. For further information and if you are exhibiting at the event, please contact Eleanor.Rice@adsgroup.org.uk.

{bio}henry.rex@techuk.org{/bio}

The Emerging Payments Association (EPA) is working with UK retailers to develop and launch a retailer-only PayTech community, focussed on education, knowledge-sharing and cross-industry collaboration.

The Forum is born out of insight from retailers of all shapes and sizes, across sectors who are working in silos to address a range of payments challenges. These challenges are often common amongst retailers, who agree that cross-industry collaboration would be a far more effective approach to solutions.

70+ retailers are engaged so far and Ben Fricke, a veteran of the UK’s quick service restaurant industry and the Forum’s Retailer Ambassador, is urging retail colleagues involved with PayTech projects to join him for the next event.

29 September 2016, 3-6pm, followed by dinner and drinks

Keynote speaker: Nathalie Oestmann, Director, Head of Samsung Pay EuropeVenue: Andaz London Liverpool Street (andazliverpoolstreet.com)

Confirmed delegates include:

• Sainsbury's
• easyJet
• Nando's
• Arriva Group
• techUK
• Wyevale Garden Centres
• Rank Group

Get involved

Retailers can register to attend, for free,here.

Email ross.musgrove@emergingpayments.org for info on speaker and sponsor opportunities.

Thanks to its rich heritage in manufacturing and engineering, Britain is globally recognised for its science and industrial innovation. However, the future of this legacy is in jeopardy due to the significant impact of the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills shortage.

Cybersecurity is especially impacted by this technical skills deficit, with demand for security professionals growing 3.5 times faster than the total IT job market and 12 times faster than the overall labour market. This is unsurprising with increasing enterprise consciousness around cybercrime, especially in light of numerous monumental breaches.

New research from Intel Security into the international shortage in cybersecurity skills has demonstrated that this is a truly global problem. Indeed, in the US alone, 209,000 cybersecurity jobs went unfilled in 2015. And the future doesn’t look much brighter: the IT directors surveyed as part of the research estimate on average 15 per cent of cybersecurity positions in their organisation will go unfilled by 2020.

With the increase in mobile computing, cloud, and Internet of Things deployments, as well as the ever-more advanced targeted cyberattacks and cyberterrorism happening across the world, a stronger cybersecurity workforce is critical. And the demand for cybersecurity professionals is growing faster than the supply of qualified workers.

In the Intel Security Hacking the Skills Shortage report, four key elements were studied with regards to their impact on cybersecurity talent shortage:

• Cybersecurity Spending: the greater the cybersecurity spending by countries and industry sectors was shown to improve their ability to deal with the workforce shortage.
• Education and Training: Just 23 percent of respondents say education programmes are preparing students to enter the cybersecurity industry. It was revealed that some non-traditional methods of practical learning, such as hands-on training, gaming and hackathons, may be a more effective way to develop cybersecurity skills.
• Employer Dynamics: While salaries are unsurprisingly a top motivating factor in recruitment, almost half of respondents cite lack of training or qualification sponsorship as common reasons for talent departure.
• Government Policies: More than three-quarters of respondents say their governments are not investing enough in building cybersecurity talent.

Recommendations for Moving Forward

Closing the cybersecurity skills gap is no mean feat. Countries will need to cultivate a larger and more diverse workforce, develop critical technical skills, and reform education and training programmes to include more hands-on learning.

However, our research has identified five recommendations to help get countries and companies get moving in the right direction.

Redefine minimum credentials for entry-level cybersecurity job

Most higher education institutions don’t offer cybersecurity-specific courses nor guide graduates to cybersecurity professions. Japan and Germany, in particular, have the fewest university level cybersecurity programmes. To account for this, employers should relax degree requirements for entry-level positions and instead look to in professional certifications and/or hands-on experience for evidence of the right skills.

It’s also important to engage more young people in cybersecurity to encourage future careers. Partnerships between governments and the private sector could enable this by using industry experts to train teachers, enhance curricula, and offer internships and training to talented secondary school and college students.

Diversify the cybersecurity field

Increasing the diversity of the cybersecurity workforce will also be essential to plugging the gap. According to a number of studies and interviews with employers and educators, women and minorities are underrepresented in this field. Encouraging more women to study STEM subjects and providing visa schemes for accomplished individuals can help increase the talent pool.

Provide more opportunities for external training

Retaining cybersecurity talent is crucial to addressing the skills shortage. So it’s important that employers get over their fears that investing in expensive training programs will only serve to make employees more attractive in the talent marketplace, and understand that the absence of such training can drive people to seek alternative employment. Creative partnerships between the private sector and government may be another way to enhance training opportunities and expand the number of scholarships in STEM industries.

Evolve skills for automation

With the necessary cybersecurity skills to few and far between, employers should look to use their qualified workers wisely. Automating simple processes is an essential step to reduce the burden on existing cybersecurity staff, and enable them to focus their time and talent on the more advanced threats that require human intervention.

Collect data and develop better metrics

A lack of data hinders the ability to develop targeted cybersecurity policies and strategies and to measure effectiveness. More national data on the cybersecurity labour market and standardised job functions can help drive more tailored solutions and define a clear lists of in-demand cybersecurity skills applicable across industry sectors

With the global threat of cybercrime ever-increasingly, we need a robust workforce of skilled individuals ready to defend our nations’ computer networks. Countries and companies have to act quickly to fix this problem, and look to education, incentivisation and data to help them meet their resourcing needs.

Only with these concurrent efforts will we be able to defeat the evolving cybersecurity threats and create a more secure network environment.

For more information on techUK's work on Skills, Talent & Diversity, get in touch with Doniya Soni. For more information on techUK's work on Cyber & National Security, get in touch with Talal Rajab.

{bio}doniya.soni@techuk.org{/bio}

{bio}talal.rajab@techuk.org{/bio}

Date: Thursday 1st September 2016

Venue: techUK, 10 St Brides, London EC4A 4AD

Chair: Janette Stewart, Principal, Analysys Mason

The presentations are available to download at the bottom of the page.

Introduction
Janette Stewart, Principal, Consulting, Analysys Mason and Cluster 1 Chair

Spectrum under study for 5G
Robert Cooper, Spectrum Technology, Ofcom

Spectrum Needs for IMT-2020 – WRC Preparation
Barry Lewis, Director, Spectrum Management and Regulations, Samsung

Spectrum Needs – example estimate of the spectrum needs
Yinan Qi, 5G Researcher, Samsung

Discussion on a SPF document on 5G spectrum
Janette Stewart, Principal, Consulting, Analysys Mason and Cluster 1 Chair

Please contact Skye MacLeod or Raj Sivalingam if you'd like to know more about the work of the UK Spectrum Policy Forum.

{bio}raj.sivalingam@techuk.org{/bio}

{bio}skye.macleod@techuk.org{/bio}

The Intellectual Property Policy Group will host its first quarterly full Committee meeting. The meeting will be led by the Chair of the committee Dan Hermele, Qualcomm (UK) Ltd. The IPRC Vice Chairs are Tim Frain, Nokia (UK) Ltd and Claudia Tapia, Ericsson Ltd.

To find out more or to RSVP if you are techUK member please contact Charlotte Holloway.

{bio}charlotte.holloway@Techuk.org{/bio}