BMet Digital Enthusiasts join innovative and interactive insight sessions with The CyberHub Trust

Students at BMet’s Matthew Boulton College gained invaluable digital knowledge and skills through an interactive career-focused event with The CyberHub Trust this month.

The “Career Opportunities for Young People in Cyber, Security and Safety” events are part of a UK-wide roadshow delivered by the innovative education charity.

Supported by industry leaders including AXON, IBM, BAE Systems, Currys, CIS Security and the Civil Aviation Authority, the events showcased interactive activities designed to engage young people from Level 2 to Level 5, in cutting-edge digital technology and cyber skills.

Additional support from the West Midlands Regional Cyber Crime Unit (WM-RCCU), the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) added real-world relevance to the event – giving students a glimpse into careers in cybersecurity and public safety.

Each event was tailored to the facilities of the host college, with activities taking place in DigiTech rooms, Sports halls and Conference spaces. VIP partners also engaged in discussions with teachers, exploring further opportunities for collaboration.

Oliver Stokes, Director of Creative, Business and Digital at BMet said:  “It was such a great opportunity for our students to be able to meet with key professionals in the technology arena, who were able to inspire with their experiences and knowledge.

“Utilising our Cyber Hub and other purpose-built digital facilities to showcase forward-thinking interactive activities was also very rewarding.”

Highlights of the Roadshow included:

• AXON’s VR Headset Taser Challenge tested students’ decision-making and risk assessment skills
• Currys’ Laptop Build & Breakdown/Bomb Disposal Challenge engaged participants in hands-on activity
• IBM’s Agile Project Management & Robotics sessions gave students a chance to flex their coding muscles
• BAE Systems’ Cyber Quest Challenge provided an in-depth look at cybersecurity problem-solving
• The Police’s Criminal Minds & Escape Room activities challenged students to apply cyber security and forensics in a real-world context

Here is what some of BMet’s students had to say about the event:

Divine, Creative Computing and Cyber Student: “The event was very educational and informative, giving me and other students a comprehensive view of new technologies and the range of opportunities that will be available to us in our future careers.”

Hudayfi, Creative ICT and Web student: “The event was really enjoyable and enabled me to learn many useful skills, that will help me in my future career as a Cybersecurity Engineer. It was great to have interesting activities and key professionals right at my college!”

Sarina: IT Student: “I was really engaged in the event today, which opened my eyes to not only additional digital technologies, but also to the range of careers that are available. It was good to be able to network and ask questions to a panel of experts.”

With drone and AI technology demonstrations from CIS Security and Vizgard, and career chats with experts from the NCA and DSIT, the event also covered a wide range of career pathways in the digital and security sectors.

Leading the event, CyberHub Trust CEO, Michael Klonowski, said: “With the demand for Cyber and DigiTech security professionals growing rapidly, events like the these are crucial in bridging the gap between education and industry.

“The students and staff were fantastic at every college we visited. We are also incredibly grateful to the employers and other organisations who gave up their time to be involved and inspire the next generation of Cyber and DigiTech experts.

 “These events are part of our broader mission to promote careers in Cybersecurity and Safety. There are so many exciting opportunities on offer in these industries. We want to ensure that young people are aware of them, inspired by them and can access them.”