CyberFirst Overview Transcript

CyberFirst will inspire, support and develop the UK’s potential Cyber Security Talent

Student 1: I’ve an interest in cybersecurity, particularly in encryption and I believe this course is a great opportunity to hone and improve my skills.

Student 2: What interested me most about cybersecurity, is when you find a vulnerability in the code, and then you try and solve the problem.

Student 3: I was interested in what makes products vulnerable, and how hackers can find ways into devices and networks.

Student 4: I want to come on this course because [the] knowledge would be good for whatever I might do.

Ciaran Martin, CEO, National Cyber Security Centre: Britain is one of the most digitally advanced economies in the world. We've been pretty good at top end national security, defending ourselves at the deepest threat, but there is so much crime, there's so much individual, small-scale attacks, that just add up to risks to the economy, risks to prosperity, risks to people's ability to go about their daily lives, and we do need to get better at that. So what this is about, is about getting in there now with the bright young talent that we have in these courses.

Ronnie Smyth, CyberFirst: The CyberFirst program is designed to target children at various different ages as they're making their decisions. So year 9, looking towards GCSEs; year 10, looking towards A-levels; and year 12 and 13, looking towards their university decisions.

David Bowen, CyberFirst Tutor: I would say to anybody who is thinking about joining CyberFirst, it's an excellent opportunity to develop cybersecurity skills. Regardless of what career path they choose to take.

Gary Lundon, CyberFirst Tutor: The students on the course, they’ve absolutely loved it. They've stayed behind every break time, you know, after class to ask more questions.

Scot Isaac, CyberFirst Tutor: They've got that real inquisitive drive to push it further, and that's where they can draw on our experience to ask us questions or to maybe ask how they could take an exploit or a technique further and gain more out of it.

Student 5: Once we learned about the forensics yesterday I found that that was amazing. I really liked the kind of recovery of data and thinking about getting onto hard drives and things, I really like that I'd love to explore that further.

Student 6: The course has really helped reinforce and extend on the knowledge that I have for my GCSEs.

Student 7: This course made it more clear about what choices I want to do for my A-levels.

Student 8: I've improved my skills on this course, and that has pointed me towards career possibly in cybersecurity.