Free cyber skills training for thousands of school pupils

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has announced that thousands of secondary school students will learn essential cyber security skills for free through a new online learning platform being rolled out in schools across the country.

Part of government plans to create a highly-skilled and more diverse pipeline of talent for the UK’s in-demand cyber security industry, Cyber Explorers aims to introduce 30,000 11 to 14-year-olds to important security concepts such as open-source intelligence, digital forensics and social engineering.

Students will explore a variety of scenarios and collect virtual badges for making smarter choices online. The free website will show students how digital, computing and cyber skills can lead to a range of career paths, including social media content creation, sports technology and medical research.

Cyber Minister Julia Lopez said: “For years the UK has led the world in cyber security but we’re now looking ahead to the future. This sector is home to some of our most exciting, innovative jobs and they must be open to everyone. Cyber Explorers will give thousands of young people the opportunity to learn digital skills they need for the modern workplace and get the best possible start on their journey towards a career in cyber.”

The new platform is being rolled out as part of the government’s National Cyber Strategy. It will complement the existing CyberFirst programme of activities led by the National Cyber Security Centre.