QinetiQ equips young people with cyber skills

QinetiQ has delivered the National Cyber Security Centre’s ‘CyberFirst Advanced’ course to over 200 students across the United Kingdom, helping to upskill and inspire the next generation of cyber and technology professionals.

Designed for 16 and 17-year-olds with an interest in cyber and cyber security, the week-long CyberFirst Advanced programme develops technical skills and raises awareness of the wide range of career opportunities available within the sector.

It provides participants with practical experience in areas including encryption technologies, digital forensics, and cyber investigation techniques. Students also hear from industry specialists and tackle real-world challenges involving Open Source Intelligence gathering and penetration testing.

Building teamwork through Hack The Box

The final day of the course will see students take part in a national ‘Capture the Flag’ competition, allowing them to work in teams and put their skills to the test through Hack The Box, which specialises in AI cyber security readiness.

Students take part in the hands-on training at 11 venues including QinetiQ’s Malvern site – a specialist cyber and intelligence centre – and at universities across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

James Willis, Chief Executive Officer, UK Intelligence, QinetiQ, said: “As demand for cyber security expertise continues to grow, initiatives such as CyberFirst play an important role in building a diverse pipeline of talent and strengthening the UK’s future cyber resilience.

“Our cyber experts have first-hand experience of protecting a range of partners against complex threats across the globe and so understand just how important it is to inspire future generations into the industry.”

Future cyber security skills

Chris Ensor, NCSC Deputy Director for National Resilience Capabilities: “We are delighted to support QinetiQ who are delivering the CyberFirst Advanced learning content in collaboration with 10 NCSC Academic Centres of Excellence for Education.

“This partnership with industry and academia marks another important step in expanding access to high-quality cyber security education, benefiting even more students across the UK.

“Inspiring the next generation of cyber talent is vital to the UK’s digital future and we look forward to the continued broadening of access to these resources through the TechFirst programme.”

QinetiQ has a long established legacy in supporting the next generation with essentials skills, including cyber, AI and Quantum, ensuring there are clear career pathways into specialist industries.

Through collaboration between industry, academia and government, the programme helps young people explore future career options, develop valuable technical capabilities and make informed decisions about further education and university applications.