CyberFirst
What are your plans
for the summer?
Got an enthusiasm for technology and an interest in exploring and expanding what you know about online security? CyberFirst’s programme of free residential and online summer courses could be just the thing to develop essential skills and bring a fresh purpose to your break. The CyberFirst Defenders, Futures and Advanced courses cover age groups from 14 to 17. You’ll learn all kinds of practical insights into digital safety and how everyday technology really works.
What is CyberFirst
Inspired and led by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of GCHQ, CyberFirst introduces young people with a passion for computing and our digital world to the intricacies and opportunities of cyber security.
Each course is designed to hone the potential of young people with a taste for technology. Students will gain skills, experience and exposure that can empower them to be the future first line of defence in our CyberFirst world. For any questions see the CyberFirst FAQ.
CyberFirst Defenders
Year 10 (England and Wales), Year 11 (Northern Ireland) or S4 (Scotland)
6 Events
Cyberfirst Futures
Year 11 (England and Wales), Year 12 (Northern Ireland) or S5 (Scotland)
5 Events
CyberFirst Advanced
Year 12 (England and Wales), Year 13 (Northern Ireland) or S6 (Scotland)
10 Events
We live in
a CyberFirst world
It’s hard to find an element of life that technology doesn’t touch. From gaming and chatting with friends to shopping or seeing a doctor, we’re constantly sharing our personal data. Data that needs protecting. Attacks on the digital infrastructure we rely on are increasing every day, both in terms of frequency and sophistication. So stopping them means being smarter, more inquisitive and quicker to adapt. That’s where you come in.
An opportunity to
challenge yourself
Through a programme of practical, hands-on learning and teamwork tasks, you’ll learn valuable new skills and develop your understanding of how the systems and software that surround us are connected; how information flows through networks; and how we can take sensible steps to stay safe in our digital world. All alongside like-minded students your own age.
Bringing out every
student’s cyber potential
CyberFirst is about using your passion for technology to shape the cyber security community of tomorrow. You don’t have to be a coder or secret software developer – we’re looking for people from all walks of life and backgrounds. Live streamers, Instagrammers, vloggers, gamers – whatever your thing, it’s your enthusiasm we’re interested in.
Grace, CyberFirst bursary student
“Cyber security is a career with a bigger meaning, protecting normal people who can’t defend themselves."
Read MoreAnwen, 17, from Argyll & Bute
“It helped me to take the plunge and apply to study computer science at uni."
Read MoreShayna, 17, from Belfast
“People think cyber can be solitary, but the courses showed me working in a team is a huge part of it!”
Read MoreCallum, 17, from Motherwell
“Seeing that the course was SQA accredited and run by the NCSC gave me confidence that it was a brilliant opportunity to take advantage of.”
Read MoreLydia, 17, from Belfast
“You don’t have to be good at coding to get into the industry, there are so many career pathways available.”
Read MoreBen, 16, from Oswestry
“I learnt a lot about how networks work and how I can transfer the skills that we learnt to improve my home network.”
Read More