AMTCE’s specialism is manufacturing and Industry 4.0 but the programmes will cater to all sectors in an effort to combat the skills shortage in cybersecurity.
Dundalk-based Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre of Excellence (AMTCE) is to offer a suite of cybersecurity training programmes to learners from September 2023 onwards.
The aim of the programmes is to increase access to cybersecurity skills education and ensure that Industry 4.0 is armed with the knowledge needed to defend itself against cyberattacks.
Courses are open to individuals as well as employees of organisations. They will be practical and industry-focused rather than academic.
The programmes will help learners to identify cyber threats and their potential impacts on the physical assets, software and data of an organisation.
Although AMTCE’s specialism is manufacturing and Industry 4.0, the programmes will cater to all sectors in an effort to combat the skills shortage in cybersecurity. They will be delivered by experienced industry professionals.
AMTCE, which is run by the Louth Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB), has experience in helping to close the cybersecurity skills gap in Ireland. Since 2022, the centre has been offering a cybersecurity apprenticeship in association with Fastrack into Information Technology. These additional programmes are the latest addition to its attempts to provide alternatives to universities for people upskilling in cybersecurity.
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 cybersecurity risks and manufacturing now accounts for almost 25pc of all cyberattacks.”
“This is a clear deficit that needs to be addressed urgently. Training has a key role to play in helping the advanced manufacturing sector gain the benefits of Industry 4.0 while mitigating the risks,” he added.
There are other cybersecurity apprenticeship programmes in Ireland such as the one offered by University of Limerick that was launched in 2021.
More information on the programmes available at AMTCE can be found on its website.
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