Home to the UK’s intelligence and cyber agency GCHQ, and widely regarded as the cyber capital of the country, Gloucestershire offers some of the best training paths and courses for those interested in making a break into the industry.
As part of SoGlos’s CyberGlos campaign celebrating the tech industry here in the county during European Cyber Security Month, we've found some of the best cyber training opportunities to check out across Gloucestershire in 2023.
Essential cyber courses with Nimble Elearning
If you're looking to train yourself or your staff to keep the team and the business safer in the digital world, Stonehouse-headquartered Nimble Elearning specialises in delivering quick, easy, affordable online professional courses.
Subjects covered include phishing, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, counter fraud cyber user awareness, data protection, freedom of information, information governance and information security awareness.
Cyber degrees at the University of Gloucestershire
For those needing a more extensive exploration of the world of cyber or even a career change, the University of Gloucestershire offers a range of exciting cyber degree programmes.
Courses include BSc (Hons) programmes in artificial intelligence; computer science; digital forensics; and cybersecurity. The university also offers a Certificate of Higher Education (HTQ) course in data science, which prepares students for a career in AI and data analysis.
Code Ninjas
There's even a way for tech-savvy wiz kids to get involved in the cyber sphere, by growing their passion for coding while gaining invaluable future cyber skills at Cheltenham’s Code Ninjas.
The courses allow youngsters to develop skills including problem solving and critical thinking through a variation of fun activities such as programming robots and building video games — all with guidance from the Code Senseis.
Forensic computing and cybersecurity diploma at Gloucestershire College
Available at its campuses in Cheltenham, the Forest of Dean and Gloucester, the Forensic Computing and Cyber Security level three diploma from Gloucestershire College includes a great introduction to the world of digital data crime through workshops and lectures taught in its well-equipped labs with up-to-date computer systems.
Spanning two years, the course content features computer hardware and software programming; cryptography and cryptanalysis; and identity theft through phishing, virus attacks and hacking.
Cybersecurity training packages from the National Cyber Security Centre
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recently launched two new e-learning packages to assist procurement specialists, risk owners and cybersecurity professionals in managing cyber risks across supply chains.
It also provides certified training and other specific e-learning programmes from cybersecurity training for staff, school staff and small organisations — these are deliberately designed for a non-technical audience with little to no cyber knowledge.
CyberFirst Futures
Part of GCHQ, the NCSC launched CyberFirst Futures as a free online course aiming to attract a diverse range of students currently in Year 11 at secondary schools across the country to explore security threats and ways to prevent them.
The course offers insight into legislation, allows students to study typical behaviours of cyber attackers and learn how to protect networks, all giving them a head start in their future career path and inspiring passion for computing and technology.
SheCodes online cyber training for women
Offering free coding courses, SheCodes is an international movement inspiring more women into the cyber sector through online training courses. You can even work towards certificates that can be shared on your LinkedIn page.
More than 180,000 students currently use SheCodes on different package levels, each package involving different amounts of coding workshops, real-life projects to work on, and technologies; from HTML to JavaScript — all designed for absolute beginners.
Digital Technologies and Cyber Security at SGS Berkeley Green UTC
For those still in school, South Gloucestershire and Stroud (SGS) Academy Trust's Berkeley Green University Technical College (UTC) offers a unique opportunity for students aged 14 to 19-years-old to study vocational and academic courses in engineering, digital technologies and cybersecurity, alongside the regular curriculum — in the hopes of bridging Gloucestershire's skills gap in the high technology fields.
The curriculum is enhanced and supported by extra-curricular opportunities including the National Cyber Security Centre’s Cyber Discovery programme, access to an industry leading cyber security training platform and visits to external events from Gloucestershire Cyber Hub.
