Coleg Sir Gâr students explore the frontlines of cyber security

Cyber security has emerged as one of the most resilient and high-growth career sectors in the IT industry.

To ensure students are at the forefront of these developments, students and staff attended the CyberFirst Wales event which aimed to raise awareness of cyber security education and their pathways to industry.

Students on A-level and AS computer science and digital technology courses visited the event along with their vocational peers, on a level three extended diploma programme.

The event was held at University of South Wales (USW) as part of its work with the CyberFirst Wales programme in partnership with Swansea and Bangor universities.

CyberFirst is led by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and this event provided an opportunity for around 300 pupils aged from 11 to 18 from schools and colleges across Wales, to take part in masterclasses relating to cyber security.

Rebecca Clarke, Coleg Sir Gâr lecturer said: “The masterclasses were run by university lecturers as well as industry partners that work with CyberFirst including Airbus, The Intellectual Property Office, SudoCyber, TechnoCamps, ITSUS Consulting and many more. 

“You have to be on top of current and future developments in this fast-growing industry so it’s vital that students and staff attend these events.

“We want students to be passionate about what they do and that means keeping them informed about what’s happening in the industry and about the educational pathways available to them to access these careers.”

This event also helped schools and colleges achieve their CyberFirst Schools Award as well as giving pupils the chance to gain age-appropriate cyber security skills, including cryptography, digital forensics, and AI in cyber security. 

Teachers also had the opportunity to learn about developments within the CyberFirst Wales programme with a networking and information session and encouragement to become ambassadors in cyber skills. 

Coleg Sir Gâr lecturer Rebecca Clarke added: “The event was a resounding success, with students expressing how much they enjoyed the sessions and how valuable they found the insight into cyber security careers.