UWE Bristol is hosting a training camp designed for students interested in moving into cyber security careers.
The camp, taking place from 10-12 October, offers amateurs an opportunity to learn about cyber defence from seasoned professionals.
For one weekend only HP Labs and UWE will become a cyber security training ground, opening their doors to some of the UK's most talented young cyber security enthusiasts from the area.
Around 40 candidates will spend three days living on-site in an immersive camp, where they will get an insight into the cyber security industry, with a series of security exercises and workshops developed by organisations including the HP, National Crime Agency, CERT UK, BT, BAE IA, Sophos, Whitehatters Academy, CompTIA, Infosec Skills, Grillatech, ANG2 Consulting, IISP and CREST.
HP will welcome candidates to their labs on Day 1 when they will provide ethical hacking activities. They will work on a series of technical challenges catering for all abilities.
The second day will be held at the UWE Bristol Exhibition and Conference Centre (ECC)which will include a session on ethics from the National Crime Agency, and day three will concentrate on careers, with key employers such as GCHQ and BT.
Dr David Coward, Head of Computer Science and Creative Technologies at UWE Bristol, said, “This is a fantastic opportunity. With only 40 students involved and some major organisations taking part, it's a perfect opportunity for our students to gain access to key companies in the field.
“There are many job opportunities in cyber security, as the range of criminal activity grows – with cybercrimes ranging from hacking, theft, online stalking, identity theft, malware, grooming to revenge porn and many other types of crime. We need people who have the technological capability and understanding to help protect our online spaces and our infrastructure from cybercrime.”
Matt, a UWE graduate who now works as a Security Consultant, said, “Taking part in the Cyber Security Challenge helped me to get started in the security industry. The challenges are engaging and realistic, run by industry leading professionals. The events provide unparalleled access to employers; I have made many friends and professional contacts through the challenge - the job opportunities are real.
“I love working in security because I get to work with some of the brightest minds in the country to make a real difference at the cutting edge of technology.”
The candidates will also receive top tips on interview techniques, social media networking and CV writing from ANG2 Consulting in order to improve their chances of landing that first job in cyber security and help towards making their first contacts in the industry. To top it off, each candidate will be signed up to an accredited, industry-respected cyber-related foundation qualification, which they can complete within three months of the camp.
Stephanie Daman, CEO at Cyber Security, said, “Cyber Security Challenge UK has been working to develop effective cyber training camps for a number of years, and with the help of our fantastic sponsors, we're found a winning formula that we believe will be invaluable to higher education institutions.
“This weekend at UWE Bristol, individuals with a keen interest in the area, but not necessarily existing skills, will get to learn more about the way the sector works, pick up essential skills and background knowledge and even walk away with a qualification in hand.”
With a mixture of live-action exercises and career-enhancing workshops, this weekend is sure to set UWE in good stead for being a source of leading cyber talent in future years.
The camp is the second in a series of university Insight Camps to run this year, later camps follow in early 2016 in Greenwich and Edinburgh, to register your interest please visit the website.
