We deliver outreach activities for young people and the general public, raising their awareness about cyber threats and delivering skills to promote online safety - initiatives in line with the university’s Civic Mission agenda.
CyberFirst
CyberFirst is a programme of opportunities in the UK run by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to help young people aged 11-17 years explore their passion for tech by introducing them to the fast-paced world of cyber security.
Since 2018, we have delivered a number of annual Cyber First Adventurers events, both in-person and online (during the pandemic). CyberFirst Adventurers is a full-day event for secondary school students aged 13-14 (years 8-9 in England and Wales). Cardiff University for the first time will host the Cyber First Girls Final in Wales, which takes place in February 2023. The university proudly holds the status of CyberFirst Associate.
Given the persistent global cyber security skills gap, it is critical to establish and maintain a continuous pipeline of new talent in this arena. The Cardiff Centre for Cyber Security Education is delighted to support the well-established and successful CyberFirst program and its mission to provide young people with more opportunities to learn about computer science, digital technology and cyber security – and to support young people so they can make an informed choice about future study and career paths.
Outreach events
In 2021-2022, we ran a range of outreach events including cyber awareness workshops for the public, and a Cyber Security Career Awareness Day for GCSE, A-level and FE college students. We were able to offer these activities thanks to Innovation for All funding.
All events were supported by our industry partners including Airbus, PwC Ethical Hacking and Cyber Security Team, Tarian RECO (Regional Organised Crime Unit), and the Welsh Cyber Resilience Centre.
The recordings of any material from these events are available on request.
Cyber Security Awareness Workshop Webinar
(Recording available on request)
Target Audience: General Public
The webinar aims to spread awareness on how to stay secure online, explaining ways to utilise the broad range of services on the internet while being aware of security and privacy issues. Topics covered include:
- strong passwords
- multifactor authentication
- security/software updates and patches
- phishing/smishing
- social media and positive digital footprint
- privacy and general data protection regulation
Cyber Security Career Awareness Day
(Recording available on request)
Target Audience: GCSE, A-level and FE Colleges teachers and students
Our Cyber Security Career Awareness event helps young people to understand a wide range of job opportunities in this sector. Cyber security plays a critical role in the modern digital world, and the rapidly evolving industry offers attractive career prospects. We are looking for students with both technical and non-technical skills from a diverse range of backgrounds.
The event recording includes short career presentations from cyber security specialists plus a panel discussion about cyber security careers with experts from Airbus, PwC, Tarian and Wales Cyber Security Resilience Centre.
