NEWS

New Made Smarter programme to help North East manufacturers strengthen their cyber resilience

Manufacturing businesses across the North East and Tees Valley are being invited to take advantage of a new programme designed to help them understand cyber risks, strengthen their resilience and take practical steps to protect their business.

The Made Smarter Adoption Cyber Resilience Programme will provide manufacturers across the North East Made Smarter Adoption (NEMSA) and Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) areas with access to expert-led cyber security support.

Delivered as part of Made Smarter Adoption North East, the programme will include a series of online awareness sessions and in-person workshops, helping businesses better understand their current cyber security position, identify potential vulnerabilities and develop practical actions to improve their resilience.

The sessions will cover real-world cyber risks and attack methods, while helping manufacturers understand how good cyber security contributes to the wider resilience of their organisation. Businesses progressing through the programme can also receive support to identify gaps in their current arrangements and develop a roadmap towards greater cyber readiness.

For eligible businesses that are ready to take the next step, there may also be funding support available towards gaining recognised cyber security accreditation, including Cyber Essentials Plus and DCC Level Zero.

Andy Brown, Programme Manager, said:

"With more and more businesses using digital technology to enhance productivity and profitability it is imperative that businesses ensure that they have processes in place to protect their business from cyber-attacks. This programme will support businesses of all sizes to ensure they have a clear roadmap to assist them

The programme comes at a time when cyber security and resilience are becoming increasingly important for manufacturers, particularly those operating in sectors and supply chains where demonstrating robust cyber security standards is essential.

Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, the Made Smarter Adoption Cyber Resilience Programme will help businesses understand where they are now and the practical steps they can take to become more secure and resilient."

The programme will begin with online awareness workshops, followed by more in-depth, practical face-to-face sessions. Businesses that are already further along their cyber security journey may also be able to progress directly towards accreditation support where appropriate.

Manufacturing businesses across the North East and Tees Valley interested in the Made Smarter Adoption Cyber Resilience Programme can contact Andy Brown, Programme Manager, at andy.brown@rtcnorth.co.uk for more information.