EC-Council Tackles AI Skills Gap in UK & Ireland With New Certs

LONDON and DUBLIN – February 11, 2026 – As artificial intelligence rapidly transitions from an experimental technology into the core infrastructure of modern business, a critical gap is widening between its adoption and the availability of a workforce skilled enough to manage, secure, and govern it. Addressing this challenge head-on, global cybersecurity education leader EC-Council has announced the largest portfolio expansion in its 25-year history, launching a comprehensive Enterprise AI Credential Suite aimed squarely at preparing the workforces of the United Kingdom and Ireland for the AI era.

The initiative introduces four new role-based AI certifications alongside a significantly overhauled Certified CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) program. The move comes at a pivotal moment for both nations, which have emerged as global powerhouses in the AI landscape but face a growing talent deficit that could stymie future growth and expose organizations to new, sophisticated risks.

“AI is moving from experimentation to infrastructure, and the workforce has to move with it,” said Jay Bavisi, Group President of EC-Council. “These programs are built to give professionals practical capability across adoption, security, and governance, so organizations can scale AI with confidence and clear accountability.”

The AI Boom and the Skills Chasm

The launch is timed to meet explosive demand in two of Europe's most dynamic technology markets. The UK’s AI ecosystem has swelled to become the third-largest in the world, with a valuation of approximately $92 billion in 2024. Independent market analysis corroborates projections of a compound annual growth rate exceeding 28 percent through 2033. This growth is fueled by widespread adoption, with over 52 percent of UK businesses already integrating AI into their operations and a staggering 77 percent reporting measurable productivity gains.

Similarly, Ireland’s AI labour market is experiencing exponential growth. Recent data from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) confirms that the number of AI-related jobs has doubled in just the last two years, a clear indicator of intense demand. This surge solidifies Ireland's position as a key European tech hub but also highlights a significant talent shortage that could become a critical bottleneck for its rapidly expanding AI sector.

This rapid expansion creates a paradox: while AI drives economic growth and efficiency, it also introduces complex challenges and a dire need for specialized skills that the current workforce largely lacks. Companies are struggling to find professionals who can not only build AI models but also manage AI projects, secure them from emerging threats, and ensure they operate ethically and in compliance with evolving regulations.

A Framework for Secure and Responsible AI

EC-Council’s new certification suite is structured around its proprietary “Adopt. Defend. Govern.” (ADG) framework, a strategic blueprint designed to guide organizations through the entire AI lifecycle. This holistic approach ensures that AI is not only implemented effectively but is also fortified against attack and managed responsibly.

Within this framework, the new certifications provide targeted, role-based training:

• Artificial Intelligence Essentials (AIE): This foundational course is designed to build broad AI literacy across an organization, ensuring all employees can engage with AI technologies responsibly and effectively.

• Certified AI Program Manager (CAIPM): Directly addressing the “Adopt” pillar, this certification equips leaders to translate AI strategy into concrete execution. It focuses on aligning teams, managing governance, and steering AI projects to deliver measurable return on investment.

• Certified Offensive AI Security Professional (COASP): This highly specialized certification for the “Defend” pillar is designed to create an elite cadre of security experts capable of proactively testing and hardening AI systems. The curriculum focuses on simulating advanced attacks like prompt injection, data poisoning, model exploitation, and AI supply-chain compromises, building the red-teaming capabilities necessary to secure enterprises against a new generation of threats.

• Certified Responsible AI Governance & Ethics Professional (CRAGE): Supporting the “Govern” pillar, this program focuses on embedding accountability, ethics, and risk management into AI systems from their inception. It provides professionals with the skills to navigate complex compliance landscapes and align with critical standards like the NIST AI Risk Management Framework and ISO/IEC 42001.

Redefining Leadership and Security in the AI Era

While the market is populated with certifications from tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and AWS that focus on building AI solutions on their respective platforms, EC-Council’s suite carves out a distinct and critical niche. Its deep focus on the cybersecurity and governance dimensions of AI addresses a gap often overlooked by development-centric training. The COASP certification, in particular, is one of the first to concentrate specifically on offensive security tactics for AI, a skill set in desperately short supply.

Complementing this new suite is the updated Certified CISO v4. This revision reimagines executive cyber leadership for an environment where AI-driven systems are integral to business operations and decision-making. As automated systems learn and adapt, the nature of risk and accountability fundamentally changes, requiring leaders who can govern intelligent systems with clarity and foresight.

“Security leaders are now accountable for systems that learn, adapt, and influence outcomes at speed,” Bavisi added. “Certified CISO v4 prepares leaders to manage AI-driven risk with clarity, strengthen governance, and make informed decisions when responsibility is on the line.”

This strategic expansion also builds on EC-Council's long-standing relationships with government and defense organizations, including its recognition under the U.S. DoD 8140 directive. As AI security becomes a matter of national importance, the need for a verifiably skilled workforce is more critical than ever. By providing clear training pathways for these specialized roles, EC-Council aims to empower organizations to move beyond the AI hype and build a future where intelligent systems are not only powerful but also secure, accountable, and trustworthy.