CyberEPQ, an accredited Level 3 Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) in cybersecurity, has achieved CyberFirst brand recognition from the UK official National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) reports.
Aimed at bringing new talent into the industry, the CyberEPQ is described by CIISec as a stepping stone into a cyber career. The qualification is available to anyone over 14, and accounts for 28 UCAS points – the equivalent of half an A-level – for students aspiring to go to university. It gives students a foundation of an apprenticeship, degree, or a move into a cybersecurity role.
Underpinned by CIISec’s own skills framework, the qualification covers the history of computing and cryptography, digital forensics and the human factor in cybersecurity. The first year CIISec ran the CyberEPQ – 2022-2023 – it welcomed 132 students from across a range of UK schools. As for grades: 68 per cent fell into the A-star to B category, and of those, a third were female.
CyberFirst brand recognition means NCSC has acknowledged the CyberEPQ as a high-quality course which successfully supports young people to improve their cyber knowledge. The CyberEPQ has also become part of the CyberFirst Pipeline – covering a range of activities to help young people explore tech.
Amanda Finch, CEO of CIISec, says: “CyberFirst recognition will really help the CyberEPQ to grow. We’ve already seen a fantastic response to the programme, and the next step is to spread the net as wide as possible, helping to increase diversity in the cybersecurity industry. Working with NCSC, we hope to nurture the cybersecurity stars of the future.”
For more on the CyberEPQ, visit https://cyberepq.org.uk/. And for more on CyberFirst, visit https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberfirst/overview.
