'Vocational training with IT security' - Germany (mIT Sicherheit ausbilden)
The ‘mIT Sicherheit ausbilden’ project (Training with IT Security) helps to strengthen the skills of IT security trainers, who, in turn, train VET (Vocational Education and Training) managers and trainers via workshops. Learners have a chance to dive into the basics of IT security and embed the topic in their training practice. In addition, they can also pass on their knowledge to other employees in the company, thereby strengthening the IT security of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) as a whole.
Multipliers for greater impact
The project is structured in several stages:
- IT security trainers are qualified through the project to train VET managers and trainers in companies.
- VET managers and trainers take part in application-oriented workshops run by the security trainers, try out methods and receive tailor-made materials.
- Trainees and employees benefit directly from this transfer of knowledge by the VET trainers, as IT security becomes an integral part of their everyday work.
Both the qualifications for security trainers and the training courses for VET managers and trainers are free of charge.
Regional anchoring in SMEs
The ‘mIT Sicherheit ausbilden’ project works with around 80 regional contact points – such as chambers, guilds, district craft associations and SME digital centres. This is where security trainers and VET managers and trainers come together, ensuring that the topic of IT security is widely disseminated across the SME sector.
Why is this a good practice?
Since the project started in August 2021, around 90 IT security trainers have been qualified to provide training for VET managers and trainers. The multiplier structure achieves a wide reach: IT security skills are not only passed on to trainees, but also to employees in SMEs across a wide range of industries. Further online workshops are continuously offered for training managers, enabling them to keep their knowledge up to date.
One success factor is the regional anchoring of the qualification courses, which are tailored to the needs and spheres of activity of smaller companies in particular.
To ensure the sustainability and long-term anchoring of the project, it became part of the Cybersecurity Transfer Centre for SMEs, CYBERsicher, in 2023. This centre specialises in providing free support to small and medium-sized enterprises, craft businesses and start-ups in the prevention, detection and response to cyber attacks.
Funding and implementation partners
‘mIT Sicherheit ausbilden’ is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. The implementation partners are Germany safe on the internet (DsiN) and the German Association for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (BVMW).
