Burberry celebrates first graduates of in-house cyber security apprenticeship programme

 Over the last 24 months, the graduates have shadowed the Burberry Cyber team as they engaged in robust, on-the-job training within their working week. Through a combination of high-quality classroom activities, online learning and practical experience, colleagues gained the technical know-how to solve crucial challenges including thwarting cyber-crime, decrypting data and untangling malware. 

The professional apprenticeship is an alternative approach to gaining a Cyber Security qualification. By completing the programme, colleagues achieved the Cyber Security Technologist Level 4 apprenticeship, which incorporates a host of nationally recognised professional IT qualifications accredited through BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.

Burberry is continuously ensuring its people have the tools they need to grow both personally and professionally by supporting their development throughout their careers. Following the success of its first Cyber Security Apprenticeship, Burberry will renew the programme and is currently preparing for its second round of apprentices. 

Notes for Editors

About Burberry and supporting youth in technology

• Burberry was the first British retailer to run a pioneering two-year data upskilling program alongside Decoded, enabling its employees to gain recognised advanced analytics qualifications alongside their day jobs. 
• Burberry is currently partnering with New York Fashion Tech Lab to support six global, women-led emerging technology companies who are developing solutions to challenges faced by the luxury industry. 
• In 2020, Burberry technology experts shared their knowledge with the students at IBM's Extreme Blue internship programme, supporting them in developing the Voyage prototype system to improve product traceability in fashion, helping to provide a solution for a longstanding industry challenge. 

About QA

• QA is a world-leading provider of tech skills, enabling organisations and learners to be winners in the digital revolution. It helps clients build in-demand tech skills through a comprehensive range of training and talent solutions that blend the best of live and self-paced digital training - including training courses, reskilling bootcamps, tech apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships. It also offers over 150 undergraduate and masters’ programmes in conjunction with its university partners.
• Where organisations need diverse, junior tech talent, QA helps employers fill those gaps immediately through its Squad-as-a-Service proposition, or via entry-level apprenticeships. For clients with specific learning and development needs, QA creates bespoke solutions, blending elements of multiple offerings to build skills at scale across teams, departments and countries.
• Globally, QA’s Cloud Academy platform allows clients’ tech teams to train at scale across a range of the most sought-after skills while its Circus Street platform provides similar, leading capability for clients’ marketing and commercial teams.
• QA serves more than 80% of the FTSE 100, many parts of government and the public sector, and is one of Microsoft’s largest learning partners globally. More than 200,000 people learnt with QA last year.

About Burberry

• Burberry is a global luxury brand, headquartered in London, UK.
• Founded in 1856, Burberry is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BRBY.L) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index.
• BURBERRY, the Equestrian Knight Device, the Burberry check and the Thomas Burberry Monogram and print are trademarks belonging to Burberry.
• For more news: www.burberryplc.com