COURSE

The NPA in Cybersecurity is specifically aimed at providing a skills pipeline into the cyber security industry. The focus of the course is to produce knowledgeable and skilled individuals who are aware of the potential misuses of, and unauthorised access to, computer systems but who use these competences for legal and ethical purposes.

CONTENT 

The course is broken down into 3 units:

Data Security

Describes how personal data can be shared on Social Media

• Risks associated with storing Data for Organisations
• Technologies used by business to protect customer data

Digital Forensics 

Examine and recreate crime scenes.

• Explain processes and job roles in relation to Digital Forensics.
• Learn how to forensically examine a storage device.

Ethical Hacking

Perform penetration tests on a computer system in a controlled environment.

• Analyse current trends in Cybercrime.
• Evaluate current legislation relating to Cybercrime.
• TYPICAL LESSON

Lessons in Cybersecurity will adopt a number of different strategies and activities designed to challenge pupils and develop their computational thinking skills.    Pupils will predominately be completing practical work.  This will be reinforced by class theory work.  Investigations and problem solving activities which will be carried out in pairs, teams and individually.

HOW WILL IT BE ASSESSED?

Assessment of this award will be a combination of practical and knowledge assessments under closed and open-book assessment conditions (60% pass mark required for SOLAR assessment).

PROGRESSION

On completion of each award, learners may progress to one of a number of further qualifications in this, or a related, area, for example, NC Digital Media Computing. There are also opportunities to progress to Higher National or degree courses.

CAREERS

There is a current skills shortage in the field of Cyber Security. The need to defend against cyber-attacks is ever more present. Education is the key to addressing the skills gap.