Professional Registration
As an organisation which has been granted Royal Chartered Status, the UK Cyber Security Council now has the power to set industry standards and award professional titles for those working in the cyber profession. The resulting Standard for Professional Competence and Commitment provides certainty around the skills and competences of the workforce, creating a clear route into, and progression through, the profession. Read more about how this came about below.
A Registered Cyber Security Professional will be able to demonstrate competence and commitment in all the areas below and provide appropriate evidence.
There are four professional registration titles aligned to the Council’s professional standard:
An Associate Cyber Security Professional will be able to demonstrate competence and commitment in all areas outlined in the SPCC, and provide appropriate evidence.
An Associate Cyber Security Professional will have experience which demonstrates their competence for the Associate Title and as such should be operating at a level at which they are either employed or ready to be employed within the cyber security profession.
A Practitioner Cyber Security Professional will be able to demonstrate competence and commitment in all the areas outlined in the SPCC and provide appropriate evidence.
A Practitioner Cyber Security Professional will have practical experience in cyber security and be a practitioner operating at a level at which their professional expertise is being used effectively in their role.
A Principal Cyber Security Professional will be able to demonstrate competence and commitment in all the areas outlined in the SPCC and provide appropriate evidence.
A Principal Cyber Security Professional will have practical experience in a specific Specialism, at which they are an expert practitioner, and have experience in other Specialisms. As such, they should be operating at a level where their professional expertise may reasonably be sought to contribute to the development of their specific Specialism.
A Chartered Cyber Security Professional will be able to demonstrate competence and commitment in all the areas outlined in the SPCC and provide appropriate evidence.
A Chartered Cyber Security Professional will have significant practical knowledge in several Specialisms, though should have a particular Specialism at which they are an acknowledged expert. As such, they should be operating at a level where their professional opinion may reasonably be sought to contribute to the development of the overall cyber security profession.
The Cyber Scheme was approved as a Licensed Body in 2023, allowing us to assess and recommend individuals for Professional Titles. We are currently assessing registrations for the Security Testing, Incident Response and Secure Operations specialisms and the non-specialism specific Associate Title. More will follow as they are developed by the Council.
Chartership: How did we get here?
Royal Charters, granted by the Sovereign on the advice of the Privy Council, have a history dating back to the 13th century. Why are they so relevant today?
Professional Standards & Chartership
The Council has been created to provide increased confidence in the professional standing of individuals offering Cyber Security consultancy.
"The Cyber Scheme has worked with the National Technical Authority (CESG/NCSC) for Information and Cyber Security for several years. The business case for establishing an independent body to oversee the Cyber Security profession is welcome recognition of the scale of the challenge at a national level across all sectors and roles within the economy and society more widely. "
Want to learn more about the Council’s role in professional registration? Please click here to be taken to The Council’s website.