Education, Skills and Training Bulletin September 2023

Schools

The CyberFirst Girls Competition with a Revised Format is back.

Planning is underway for the 2023/24 CyberFirst Girls Competition. This year the competition will be one competitive event with the entire competition online for 10 days . The NCSC will announce the 13 regional and home nation top scoring teams across the UK who will be invited to a celebratory event (location and date tbc).

For more information got to https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberfirst/girls-competition

So, get the dates in the calendar for another competition full of fun filled thought proving challenges.

Registration Opens – 25th September 2023
Competition Opens – 20th November 2023
Competition Closes – 29th November 2023
Celebratory event- TBC

‘The Bongles’ – A resource to build the cyber resilience of primary pupils

The Scottish Government, the Digital Team at Education Scotland and ‘The Bongles’ have joined forces to introduce primary one children to cyber awareness, through the publication of the new Bongles book ‘The Bongles and the Crafty Crows‘ – the newest book in the series helps children to learn about cyber resilience in a fun-filled way.

‘The Bongles and the Crafty Crows‘ story book will be part of the P1 Bookbug bags for every primary one.

There is also a variety of practitioner-created learning and teaching resources to accompany the story, a downloadable PDF of the book and an animation on the Bongles website.

Educators can also engage with this story in the new 3-part series of early level Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety webinars, This is early level Digital – CRIS and through various cyber events throughout the year, which will be advertised on the Digi Learn Scot blog. Join in on the upcoming introduction webinars and read alongs to find out more!

All other resources and professional learning on offer can be found on the DigiLearn hompage.

Girvan Academy host CyberFirst Schools Awards

Girvan Academy in South Ayrshire hosted the CyberFirst Schools Awards, where secondary pupils from the region gathered. The awards, organised by the NCSC in partnership with Education Scotland, recognise exceptional performance and innovative projects by students. Girvan Academy proudly showcased their newly refurbished Computing Science department, including a state-of-the-art ‘cyber lab,’ highlighting their pioneering efforts in cyber security education.

Interim Chief Executive of Education Scotland, Gillian Hamilton said:

“It is fantastic to see teachers and young people from across South Ayrshire come together for the CyberFirst Schools Awards. I am pleased that Education Scotland is now a regional partner with the National Cyber Security Centre. Cyber skills are crucial for the future success of our children and young people who face a rapidly evolving digital world.”

BBC micro:bits – the next gen – free registration for primary schools

The BBC micro:bit is a pocket-sized computer that can be used to teach primary school children aged 8 – 11 about coding. Coding can provide a foundation for understanding cyber security. Primary schools across the UK can register to get 30 free devices.

Through the micro:bit, children are encouraged to explore ideas using real code. The device provides an authentic experience of the interaction between hardware and software and gives children practical computer knowledge. Using it, they can see how what they do with the code on-screen has a direct impact on the device they’re holding in their hand.

To find out more about the micro:bit click here

To claim your school’s free classroom set of 30 micro:bits register here

If you’re new to teaching coding or need a refresher, DigiLearn have courses available to boost your confidence when teaching with the micro:bits. To register or find out more click here

CyberSprinters – Helping young people with online security (7-11 year olds)

Exciting new interactive online security resources for 7-11 year olds.

Young people are growing up in an increasingly digital world, exposing them to both the opportunities and risks of the internet. CyberSprinters empowers them to make smart decisions about staying secure online.

The digital game can be played on phone, tablet and desktop, and is supported by a suite of activities to be led by educational practitioners working with 7-11 year olds. Parents and carers can also try the CyberSprinter puzzles with their children at home!

Find out more and play the game here

CyberFirst: How to stay secure online (11-14 year olds)

Interactive online security resources for 11–14 year olds.

CyberFirst: How to stay secure online highlights some of the most common cyber scams and malicious activity that a pre-teen and teenage internet user might come across and empowers them to make choices to keep themselves more secure online.

The interactive video follows Olivia, Luca and Raheem as they navigate their lives online – from communicating with each other, to online gaming, to social media and ads. During the video, the characters are faced with various choices – the learner can make the choices for the character and watch how they play out.

To find out more click here

Project Real

The Project Real website contains lesson plans and resources for six lessons, each focused on the government SHARE guidelines and covering a different element of online misinformation. These lessons have been designed to be delivered in schools and youth group settings but may also be of interest to families.

Each session pack includes:

A set of slides presenting the activities they designed to help young people to recognise and challenge fake news.
A short teacher guide with rough timings and materials you may need for the session.

For more information and to see the lessons check out the website here

Introduction to Cyber Security CPD Award for primary and secondary teachers

This free module from the University of Highlands and Islands (UHI) is aimed at qualified primary and secondary teachers who wish to develop the knowledge, understanding and problem-solving skills related to teaching basic cyber security, and are configuring an environment suitable for cyber security education.

The module will help develop an understanding of cyber security and cyber resilience, as well as the relationship between these two areas of security.

The course is delivered online so you can fit your studies around your personal and professional commitments

Registration is open for Aug/Sept 2023 or Jan/Feb 2024. For more information see CPD Award Introduction to Cyber Security

This is early level Digital – Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety (CRIS) – for Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) practitioners

When we use the internet we either consume, create or communicate. Each of these behaviours has different levels and types of risk. Join in this series of three webinars to explore how we can support early level learners to gain knowledge and confidence in CRIS. This webinar series is for all ELC practitioners working with early level learners across a variety of settings in Scotland.

The examples of practice included in the session content will be ELC focused, however this session is for all practitioners working at early level across a variety of settings.

Join Education Scotland for these sessions, which will be repeated three times throughout the year 23/24 with morning and twilight options.

To get the most from this course, it is advised that you join the sessions in numerical order.

Session 1 (60 minutes) This is early level Digital, CRIS – Consume 7.9.23 & 9.1.24 & 16.4.24

Session 2 (30 minutes) This is early level Digital, CRIS – Create 3.10.23 & 20.2.24 & 30.4.24

Session 3 (30 minutes) This is early level Digital, CRIS – Communicate 7.11.23 & 12.3.24 & 14.5.23

Find out more about it here

Colleges and Universities

CyberFirst Bursary for Undergraduate Study

It’s that time of year when students are thinking about the next steps to continue their education journey and applying to university so this a timely reminder for students to apply for the 2024 CyberFirst Bursary scheme.

The scheme offers £4000 a year as well as a paid cyber security summer placements with one of the 240 CyberFirst Industry and Government members. Students will need to have (or expect to have) 3 ‘A’ levels in any subject at Grade B or above (or equivalent) and have an offer (or be applying) to study an Undergraduate Degree or Integrated Masters in any subject at a UK University from September 2024.

ROI opens for on 21st August

Bursary Applications open: 18^th September 2023

Bursary Applications close: 27^th November 2024 For more information please visit https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/cyberfirst.html

Student Online Safety Guide

Police Scotland have released a new safety guide to help students stay safe online.

Common frauds that students are experiencing today can range from the more recognisable face-to-face fraud to those carried out by someone anonymously online.

Advances in technology enable you to carry out daily tasks more easily, but can be frequently exploited by fraudsters interested in your personal information and money. This guide will equip you with information and advice to increase your awareness, prepare you to identify potential frauds and prevent the loss of your valuable data to those intent on stealing it

Read the full guide here

Community Learning and Development

Helping older Scots stay safe online

Thanks to funding from the Cyber Resilience Unit at the Scottish Government, Digital Skills Education are delivering free cyber resilience workshops in Scotland to help support older people develop the skills and confidence needed to keep safe online.

The workshop is suitable for everyone over the age of 50 in Scotland, and covers important topics such as how to spot and avoid online scams and how to protect your personal information online.

Initiatives like this one can help ensure that older adults are not left vulnerable to online scams and fraud. The free workshops are an important step towards improving cyber resilience and ensuring that everyone can stay safe online.

Digital Skills Education is calling for any charity, voluntary, and community groups that support older people who would like to partner to organise a free workshop.

Learn more about it here

To book a course click here

Grants of up to £15k available through new CLD Device Fund

A new fund has been launched to improve the digital capacity of community learning and development organisations across Scotland, with grants of up to £15,000 available for qualifying organisations.

The Community Learning and Development Device Fund is provided by the Scottish Government and managed by SCVO.

The objective of the fund is to provide capital funding to CLD organisations across Scotland to purchase digital devices, including laptops, tablets and cameras, that can be used by learners to support their learning.

The application closing date is the 29 September 2023, 12:00 pm and the deciding date is the 16 October 2023.

Read more about it at YouthLink Scotland

Check out the Fund Guidance here

Apply for the funding here

Businesses and other Organisations

New cyber security training packages launched to manage supply chain risk

The NCSC has published free e-learning to help organisations manage the cyber security risks across their supply chains. The NCSC are delighted to launch two new e-learning packages that will help procurement specialists, risk owners and cyber security professionals to effectively manage risks across their supply chains.

The packages have been designed to accompany the NCSC’s existing guidance on Mapping your supply chain and Gaining confidence in your supply chain cyber security. The package is free to use, and includes knowledge checks. No login is required – just click on the link and start learning.

SCVO Digital Inclusion webinars

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is running a series of bitesize sessions to help improve your understanding of and capacity for digital inclusion.

The webinars are varied and include titles such as:

Introduction to Digital Inclusion – 5 October which covers why digital inclusion is important and how your organisation can easily build capacity and capability to support your service users to make better use of your online services
Doing digital inclusion with limited resources – 13 September which concerns keeping digital inclusion at the forefront of your services at a time when resources are tight across the board.

Many more webinars like Social media fundamentals are available on the SCVO’s events page here

Exercise in a Box ‘Ransomware’ Session via MS Teams

Exercise in a Box is an online tool from the NCSC which helps organisations test and practise their response to a cyber attack. It is completely free, and you don’t have to be an expert to use it. The service provides exercises based on the main cyber threats, which your organisation can do in your own time, in a safe environment, as often as you want.

With the rise of ransomware attacks, organisations must be prepared in case they suffer an attack. Effectively securing an organisation can be difficult as you are only as secure as your weakest link. With the ever-changing face of cyber security, it is difficult to prepare for possible attacks.

Date and Time:

28 September – 09:30 – 11:00

To find out more about this free opportunity to strengthen the cyber resilience of your organisation or to join the session click here

A problem shared is . . . in the research problem book

The problem book, recently introduced by the NCSC, is for anyone with research interests in cyber security topics. They expect this will mostly be from the academic world, but hope it will appeal to others too – industry partners thinking about research and innovation, for example.

The book describes the problems the NCSC believe will need significant research activity over the next five to ten years. They have suggested some research strands of their own under the ‘sub-problems’ but also hope they will inspire you to think of your own research projects to help solve the overarching problems described.

The problem book is primarily intended for academia, but it may also be useful to private sector companies carrying out research or identifying innovation gaps.

IoT Legislation : A guide for businesses

This informative online event will shed light on the intricacies of IoT legislation and its impact on businesses. The event is a must for entrepreneurs, tech enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the Internet of Things.

During this session, expert speakers will provide a comprehensive overview of the legal landscape surrounding IoT, helping you navigate the complexities and ensure compliance. From data protection and privacy regulations to liability issues, everything will be covered.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and stay ahead of the game in the ever-evolving world of IoT. Register now and secure your spot!

Date and Time:

3 October – 13:30

For more information and to register click here

Learning for Everyone

Linking Cyber and Accessibility Webinars

Learn more about making your online presence accessible and staying safe online with public webinars from LEAD Scotland! Sign up today, everyone is welcome to attend.

Setting up a device when you move out of home – 01.09.23 at 10am

Using your device safely in public – 08.09.23 at 2pm

Setting up strong defences – 15.09.23 at 10am

Scams – 22.09.23 at 2pm

More information about these webinars is available here

If you have any questions contact [email protected].

Watch this space for information about sessions in 2023-24. Free online courses from LEAD Scotland are available anytime: My Lead – Homepage | Lead Scotland

Role Models in Cyber

This resource gives you a chance to learn about the many different careers in cyber security and the varied pathways through which one can join the cyber workforce.

The UK Cyber Security Council has been posting a case study from cyber security professionals, publishing interviews with role models from various fields in the cyber landscape, detailing their experiences.

In the UKCSC’s 2025 Strategy ‘Chartering a Cyber Future Strategy’ they outlined their goals for each of the Council’s 5 pillars. One of the aims under the Outreach & Diversity pillar is to: “champion existing role models… and invite collaboration from professionals, businesses, and the wider community… highlighting individuals in industry, through written case studies”

The role models page fulfils this aim by highlighting individuals stories. They’re continuing to update the Role Model page with more stories of the career routes into cyber, from university to work experience, qualifications & certifications to career changers.

Visit the page and read their stories here

CyberScotland Bulletin