New initiative to identify and redirect young cyber talent announced
In the wake of the recent cyber-attack it experienced, Co-op has today announced a new strategic partnership with The Hacking Games, a UK-based social impact business, to help prevent cybercrime by identifying young cyber talent and channelling their skills into positive, ethical careers.
Globally, cybercrime is expected to cost £12 trillion this year, and with 69% of European teenagers having committed some form of cybercrime or online offence, the initiative is part of Co-op’s long-term response to its own cyber-attack where the growing threat of cybercrime became a reality. This new partnership will combine Co-op’s reach into every post code area of the UK, community expertise, 38 Co-op Academy schools and their 6.5 million member base with The Hacking Games’ extensive knowledge and expertise in cybercrime.
The cyber threat landscape is evolving at an alarming rate and the need for skilled cybersecurity professionals has never been greater. Already valued at £13.2 billion, the Government has identified cybersecurity as a key frontier industry with an exceptional potential for growth. Yet tens of thousands of cybersecurity jobs in the UK remain vacant. Around the world, 4.8 million cybersecurity roles remain unfilled posing significant risk to individuals, businesses, and governments.
There is an urgent need to engage Gen Z and inspire them to pursue careers in cybersecurity, putting their cyber skills to ethical use as hackers for good, rather than being drawn down a more nefarious route that can cause real disruption to victims.
The Hacking Games is tackling this challenge head on by connecting the cybersecurity industry with unconventional talent. With over 50% of tech employees self-identifying as neurodivergent in a UK-wide study, the programme focuses on prevention by creating access to opportunity, building resilience, and supporting better choices – especially for those most at risk of exploitation. Autistic people, in particular, are seven times more likely to thrive in structured problem-solving environments like cybersecurity, yet 71% of autistic adults in the UK are unemployed.
Co-op wants to help prevent cybercrime before it starts by supporting young people to put their skills to good use. Co-op members have consistently highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for young people. This partnership reflects Co-op’s values-led approach to tackling the root causes of harm. By opening doors and widening access, it aims to reduce risk and offer real alternatives to those who might otherwise be led down the wrong path.
The partnership, a long term initiative with ambitions to develop into a large scale national movement, activated through a wide scale, multi-channel approach, begins with an independent research study led by Professor Lusthaus of University of Oxford, a leading expert on the social dimensions of cybercrime and hacking.
The findings will inform future prevention strategies, including a planned pilot within Co-op Academies Trust, which supports 20,000 students across 38 schools. The ambition is to co-develop a longer-term programme, with potential to expand to the wider UK education system, that supports earlier engagement, targeted student and parent training, and inspires future pathways into ethical cyber careers.
Shirine Khoury-Haq, Group CEO of Co-op, said:
“We know first-hand what it feels like to be targeted by cybercrime. The disruption it causes, the pressure it puts on colleagues, and the impact it has on the people and communities we serve.
“At Co-op, we can’t just stand back and hope it doesn’t happen again – to us or to others. Our members expect us to find a cooperative means of tackling the cause, not just the symptom. Our partnership with The Hacking Games lets us reach talented young people early, guide their skills toward protection rather than harm, and open real paths into ethical work. When we expand opportunity we reduce risk, while having a positive impact on society.”
Fergus Hay, Co-founder and CEO of The Hacking Games, said:
“There is an incredible amount of cyber talent out there – but many young people don’t see a path into the industry, or simply don’t realise their skills can be used for good. This partnership with Co-op will help unlock that potential. It’s about giving people the opportunity to do something positive, showing that their talents are valued and creating a generation of ethical hackers to make the world safer.”
Security Minister Dan Jarvis, said:
“Cybercrime destroys lives. The criminals carrying out these acts put the public and the economy at risk, and that’s why we’re continuing to take the decisive action necessary to keep UK jobs and businesses safe.
“With just over four in ten businesses reported having experienced any kind of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months, it is vital we inspire the next generation of cyber experts to detect, disrupt, and tackle cybercrime, and to support our economy to grow, as part of the government’s Plan for Change.
“Combatting this issue will take a whole-of-society approach and we applaud all efforts to ensure that young people are diverted away from illicit behaviour online.”
Greg Francis, cyber offender prevention consultant at 4D Cyber Security Ltd, and former SOCA and NCA cybercrime investigator and prevention officer, who has welcomed the Co-op and The Hacking Games partnership, said:
“Unlike their offline counterparts, young people entering cybercrime receive little to no deterrents and are often left to self-police their online activities. There’s a vital role for stakeholders – from parents and educators to search engines, gaming platforms and the cybersecurity industry – to embrace their digital responsibility and help young people make informed choices.”
The Hacking Games works across the UK to identify cyber talent and raise awareness of careers in cybersecurity, often through simulated ‘capture the flag’ arenas that mimic real-world ethical hacking environments.
The partnership with Co-op builds on this model to explore how those experiences can be brought into schools and communities, with a specific focus on prevention, early intervention and awareness raising.
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