BT begins hunt for 900 security recruits to beat cybercrime

BENGALURU: British Telecommunications plc (BT),  wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc,  is recruiting 900 people to work in its security business in the next 12 months, as part of a major drive to protect consumers, businesses and governments from the growing threat of cybercrime. BT already employs over 2,500 security professionals and has security operations centres all around the world, with annual revenues growing at a double-digit rate. It addresses the entire range of consumer, business and governmental security needs – from antivirus and parental controls that protect families in their home, through to complex managed security solutions used by multinational companies, banks and national governments.

To meet the growing global demand for cybersecurity services and address the skills shortage in the sector, BT expects to take-on and train 170 graduates and apprentices, as part of its 900 recruitment intake in the next 12 months. People will work in a range of cybersecurity and related support services roles.

Graduates and apprentices will undergo training in BT’s Security Academy in a range of areas including physical security, penetration testing, threat intelligence, risk management, security operations and sales.

As well as hiring from leading universities, BT takes part in a number of hackathon-style “war-game” competitions, such as Cyber Security Challenge UK and the international Cambridge 2 Cambridge cyber security challenge, to identify the best talent. Contestants take part in simulations of cyber-attacks pitting their skills against other participants, to see who has the strongest cybersecurity skills.

While the majority of the roles will be in the United Kingdom, with many located at BT’s security operations centres in London, Sevenoaks and Cardiff, BT is also looking to hire security specialists across Continental Europe, the Americas, the Middle-East and Asia-Pacific.

“A number of high-profile security and data breaches have dominated the headlines in recent months, and this has led to a surge in interest from both consumers and IT departments wanting to know how best they can protect themselves in the digital world,” said Mark Hughes, President of BT Security. “BT plans to remain at the forefront, innovating in cybersecurity, by hiring some of the best talent while training up the next generation of experts at our BT Security Academy.”

To help young people find out more about apprenticeships in Cyber Security, BT is holding an apprentice open afternoon at a prestigious Central London location, where potential recruits can find out more about the scheme.