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UK Government: it never trains but it pours…data
~ departmental training differences leave gaps in IT security awareness ~
Government departments are still failing to meet minimum IT security training requirements, according to Firebrand Training.
The Data Handling Report published in June last year committed all departments to the introduction of mandatory e-learning risk awareness training by October last year. However, following a Freedom of Information request in November, the Accelerated Learning pioneer has learnt that several are yet to implement this basic level of training.
For example, new employees in the Department for Communities and Local Government are issued with an induction pack upon employment, but do not receive any formal training, either via e-learning tools or traditional classroom-based learning methods.
Furthermore, the Department for Children, Schools and Families has no mandatory IT security training in place at all. Users are only required to acknowledge their compliance with the Department’s security and acceptable use policies when they login.
The Data Handling Report also states that staff who handle personal data must undergo annual refresher training, but according to the research, only two of the 14 departments that responded currently meet this mandate.
While the Foreign & Commonwealth Office operates a five-year refresher training policy, eleven departments revealed that they do not currently have any refresher training in place. However, all confirmed that they plan to implement this in 2009.
Executive quote
Robert Chapman, CEO at Firebrand Training, said: “It is disappointing, but not surprising, to learn that the Government is still failing to demonstrate a commitment to data protection. The education of employees is essential to any organisation’s security; we rely far too heavily on IT departments. It is clear that inadequate training and inconsistency between departments has produced a naivety among Government employees.”
Chapman continued: “While the implementation of standardised training is encouraging, E-learning is a slower and less effective means of educating employees. Internet misuse is a common cause of attack, so the news that it may not be included is worrying. The Government must ensure that it regularly assesses the effectiveness of this training, or risk another twelve months of red-faces and slapped wrists.”
About the company
Firebrand Training is challenging the way in which professional training is delivered.
Firebrand Training, formerly known as The Training Camp, has pioneered Accelerated Learning courses for busy IT professionals. The organisation’s innovative approach to course delivery has led to its status as the Institute of IT Training’s “IT Training Company of the Year” for the past three consecutive years.
Students are totally immersed in the subject matter, receiving an average of 12 hours intense tuition per day at a residential training site. Subject experts implement a range of teaching methodologies designed to fit with how we best understand and retain information during different periods in the day. Accelerated Learning is an attractive proposition for contractors, whose time commands very high premiums, and employers who need to minimise staff absence. Firebrand Training has an above average pass rate of 85% - confounding critics’ claims that Accelerated Learning fails to produce results.
Firebrand Training was founded by Robert Chapman and Stefano Capaldo in Summer 2001 as The Training Camp. Stefano was a former student in the US and rated the company’s approach so highly that he decided to launch a programme of courses in the UK. The organisation has since been recognised by Microsoft as a Gold Partner for Learning Solutions (MCPLS) and over 12,000 students have been trained in the UK to date. The success of the company enabled the management team to relaunch as Firebrand Training, which is focused on delivering training courses specifically designed for a European market.
Firebrand Training offers a range of courses covering all major vendors such as Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Sun, and Novell, as well as specialist certifications in the areas of security, business intelligence, project and business process management.
Contact details
For press enquiries, please contact the Account Manager at LEWIS:
Tel: +44 (0) 161 601 7740
Fax: + 44 (0) 161 601 7741
Email: firebrandtraininguk@lewispr.com
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com
Technorati tags: Firebrand Training | Freedom of Information | IT security | data | training |
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