Tag: Unlock Cyber

Cybersecurity Outreach for Young Minds: UWE Bristol’s Annual Unlock Cyber Taster Day for Schools

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

By Jonathan White, Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security

Last month, UWE Bristol was proud to host the annual Unlock Cyber Taster Day. Taking place in the School of Engineering building on the Frenchay campus, the day was attended by approximately 350 students aged 12 to 14 from schools across the region.

The event was run by Unlock Cyber, an employer-led initiative established by UWE Bristol to build a community of young cyber security enthusiasts with the right skills to follow a career into the sector. 12 industry partners come together for the day to provide a wide range of cyber security related activities in which the students participate. UWECyber demonstrated a new event this year using Lego Funfairs and Raspberry Pi’s to simulate attacks and mitigations against Cyber Physical Systems.

The Unlock Cyber taster day

The significance of cyber security outreach initiatives like the Unlock Cyber Taster Day is manifold:

  • Raising awareness of the risks and importance of cyber security: Students can gain knowledge regarding various cyber threats, online safety practices and the significance of protecting their digital lives.
  • Developing interest and curiosity: By engaging in hand-son activities, demonstrations and workshops, students can develop a genuine interest in the subject area, potentially inspiring them to pursue careers in cyber security or related fields.
  • Skills development: By providing interactive sessions where children can learn practical skills such as coding, ethical hacking, or data protection, they are introduced to fundamental concepts and tools used in the industry, thereby being better able to protect themselves and others from cyber threats.
  • Fostering critical thinking and problem-solving abilities: The events often require analytical thinking, problem-solving and creativity and participating in these activities can enhance these abilities, which can support students in a wide variety of aspects in life, not just cyber security.
  • Promoting diversity and inclusion: Like many STEM fields, cyber security has traditionally been male dominated. Inspiring children, especially females and underrepresented groups can help break down barriers and encourage diversity in the industry. By showcasing successful role models and providing for inclusive environments, these events can inspire children from all backgrounds to pursue a career in cyber security.

UWE Bristol hosts one of region’s largest cyber security events to attract future talent

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

Last month UWE Bristol hosted the Unlock Cyber Taster Day at Frenchay campus, which was attended by over 300 young people.

Students aged 12 to 14 participated in hands-on activities including manipulating a Scalextric track to improve the performance of model racing cars.

The event was run by Unlock Cyber, an employer-led initiative established by UWE Bristol to build a community of young cyber security enthusiasts with the right skills to follow a career into the sector.

Industry and cyber representatives from across the West of England region attended the event yesterday in the School of Engineering building to deliver the cyber activities for schoolchildren.

UWE Bristol Cyber Schools Outreach Manager Elaine Brown, who manages the Unlock Cyber project, said: “Young people often think that employers need you to have a lot of technical expertise when in fact this is not the case. They are looking for applicants with good communication skills and enquiring minds, who enjoy problem solving and can work under pressure. We’re trying to engage with and excite more young people, especially girls, who probably think cyber is not for them, to ensure that cyber is more diverse and inclusive. Our biggest challenge moving forwards is how we can cope with the level of demand from schools.”

Kevin Milwood, Cyber Risk Manager from Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Unlock Cyber stands for what I believe in – giving young people the opportunity to learn about careers in cyber. It’s such an important area for business and I’m passionate about doing what I can in the local area to develop the UK’s skills supply chain to meet the ever-increasing demand for cyber experts. The national curriculum is currently quite limited, so it’s great that Hargreaves Lansdown can get involved with a programme like this that lets us share our expertise.”

Ben Waring, HR and Resourcing Advisor at Leonardo Cyber Security Division in Bristol, said: “Cyber threats are a reality for all of us, so we want to respond to these long-term threats in a positive manner by generating future career opportunities for young people. For the Unlock Cyber taster day, our apprentices have designed a Cyber Crime scene, testing the students’ knowledge of how cyber criminals might target them and use any available information against them. This activity also helps students think about how they can better protect themselves and their family from cyber crime.”

UWE Bristol has worked with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and regional partners to develop the Unlock Cyber programme. The university has been recognised by NCSC for its excellence in cyber security education, across its outreach activities through Unlock Cyber, its taught programme at UWE Bristol, and its work across the region and the wider UK to improve cyber security education.

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