Our Teams - CyberFirst

“Cyber security roles are constantly evolving, consistently
challenging and crammed with potential. The people to fill
these roles could be anybody – and they could come from
anywhere. To help find them, support them and train them,
we’ve created CyberFirst.”

National Cyber Security Centre

CyberFirst is a student bursary and development scheme for undergraduates. It gives you an opportunity to receive a generous annual bursary, paid summer internships and the potential for 3 years’ employment in national security.

CyberFirst is a government-backed scheme and a pivotal part of the UK’s national cyber security programme. It covers a broad range of activities; a comprehensive bursary scheme, a girls-only competition and development courses at UK universities and colleges. Each activity is designed to give talented young people the support, skills, experience and exposure they need to become the cyber workforce of the future.

There has never been a greater need for young talented people to help protect UK society, our families and our way of life. As a key part of the UK government’s national cyber security programme, CyberFirst will deliver a broad range of activities designed to identify and support talented young people through their education and highlight exciting career opportunities in cyber security.

View CyberFirst Overview Transcript

Cyberfirst overview - audio description video

Our award winning offering

We took on our first CyberFirst interns in 2018 and were delighted to be named Government Champion that year at the annual CyberFirst awards. We earned this for our significant contribution to the CyberFirst scheme as a government department and the great feedback that CyberFirst received from the students that were placed with us. We were delighted to win the award again in 2021-22, and were also shortlisted for 2023. 

The CyberFirst scheme could enable you to join HMGCC, the place where exceptional creativity, groundbreaking ideas and cutting-edge technologies unite, here the future is what you make it. We bring engineering ingenuity to the national security mission – come and play your part.

“The projects we worked on were amazing and well thought out with suitable training beforehand; they helped me to increase my technical skills and resilience, as well as being an interesting real world example.

But the best thing was the staff at HMGCC, they were friendly and we were treated like employees, like equals. Those mentoring us were clearly experts in their fields and helped us without providing the answer itself.”

James, CyberFirst Intern at HMGCC

“We had the opportunity to learn and see stuff that literally couldn't happen elsewhere. It really helped me to figure out what I enjoy most and that I want to work here!”

Mia, CyberFirst Intern at HMGCC

CyberFirst Schemes

CyberFirst is led by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) which aims to support and prepare undergraduates for a career in cyber security. NCSC partners with other government departments and selected industry to offer students a comprehensive package of financial assistance and cyber skills training to help you kick-start a career in cyber security.

It covers three stages of your career:

  1. University: during the years you study at university, you will receive an annual bursary of £4,000 per year, tax-free.
  2. Each summer: you'll be paid £250 per week to work during your Uni holidays with HMGCC, or another government or industry partner, this also could be a bespoke training course.
  3. After graduation: you'll join HMGCC (or another government or industry partner) for a three-year graduate-level cyber security role.

All we require is for you to be a UK national, have (or be expecting to have) an offer to study, or be in your first year of studying a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths) degree at a UK university and have 3 A-levels at Grade B or above (or equivalent qualifications) in any subject.

All applications for CyberFirst are managed by NCSC. For full details on the scheme and to apply for a CyberFirst Bursary, go to the NCSC website. There you will also find details on the other CyberFirst initiatives:

  • CyberFirst Apprenticeship - A three year Degree Level Apprenticeship in Cyber Security
  • CyberFirst Adventurers - A free one-day course for those who have not yet made their GCSE choices (12-14)
  • CyberFirst Defenders - A free four-day residential and non-residential course aimed at 14 to 15 year-olds
  • CyberFirst Futures - A free five-day residential and non-residential course aimed at 15 to 16 year-olds
  • CyberFirst Advanced - A free five-day residential and non-residential course aimed at 16 to 17 year-olds
  • CyberFirst Girls Competition - For teams of four girls to work through online cyber challenges, designed to test their ingenuity

 

Apprenticeships

Turn your curiosity into reality.

Could you be what we're looking for to join our apprenticeship scheme next year?