Amid the annual tradition of A-level results day, the first students to sit a new Extended Project Qualification for young people aged 14 and up looking to start a career in cyber security have also been receiving their grades, with promising results.
The first intake to the course comprised a total of 132 students – 72 drawn from state schools, 42 from independent schools, six from sixth form colleges and another 11 independent students – 68% of whom scored results putting them in the A* to B category. Of those, a third were girls.
Backed by the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) and part-funded through the now-defunct Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the CyberEPQ course was first announced in December 2022.
Devised by a group of educators and cyber specialists, the CyberEPQ course is designed to act as a starting point for young people who might want to consider a career in cyber security, and helps them bridge the gap between GCSE computer science courses and cyber security degrees. The Level 3 City & Guilds accredited qualification is also worth up to 28 UCAS points.
“We’re delighted with the results of the inaugural…
