Cyber security expert calls for action to address cyber skills gap, in wake of high street attacks

Date: Tuesday, June 3, 2025

A cyber security expert at Wrexham University has called for urgent action to address the UK’s cyber skills shortage, in light of the cyber attacks which have shook Britain’s high street retailers.

Shawn Price, who is a Lecturer in Cyber Security at Wrexham University (pictured), has shared his views, in light of the ongoing fallout of a cyber attack on Marks & Spencer’s (M&S) business operations, as customers have not been able to buy items on the M&S website and app since the end of April.

The retailer said last week that online services should see a gradual return to normal over the coming weeks, but some level of disruption would continue until July.

While, Co-op was also hit by a cyber attack in April, with customer data compromised and empty shelves in stores over recent weeks as a result of the attack.

Shawn, who has a background in cyber security in the financial and commercial training sectors, said that in an era of escalating cyber threats – coupled with the growing skills shortage – the need for skilled cyber security professionals has never been more critical.

He said: “As we have seen in recent weeks, cyber threats are becoming more and more sophisticated but also incredibly disruptive, so the need for well-trained professionals is of vital importance and needs to be a top priority in addressing the skills shortages.

“But in order to stand out, cyber security professionals of the future will need to have that perfect blend of academic qualifications mixed with industry experience – that combination of theoretical knowledge coupled with the relevant industry experience is essential.

“As a higher education institution, we have an important role to play in addressing this demand for a highly skilled cyber workforce by preparing our students to meet the future needs of a dynamic and rapidly evolving technological landscape.

“The advent of AI has also had an enormous impact on cyber security – both positively as a tool for defence against attacks but also negatively, as it’s used by the attackers. AI can enhance threat detection, automate security tasks, and improve incident response, while simultaneously also being used by the malicious actors to create more sophisticated cyber attacks.”

Shawn has hailed the cyber sector as “one of the most exciting, fast-paced industries” to work in.

He added: “For cyber security professionals it is so much more than a job, it is a passion and a vocation. You always want to stay ahead and keep an eye out for the latest emerging threats and developments. It really is one of the most exciting, fast-paced industries you could ever work in.

“There’s also never been a more crucial time to join the field – and what’s even more exciting is that some of the jobs of the future don’t yet exist.”

• There’s still time to apply for the September 2025 intake of the Cyber Security degree at Wrexham University, you can find out more about the programme here.