Academy pathways
Four roles, each with its own tasks, skills and evidence. Open to secondary school pupils on work experience and to college and sixth-form students on industry placements.
Every role does real work that helps make schools more secure, with a named supervisor guiding you. Not sure which role suits you? Try the quiz, then open a role below to find out more.
Which role suits you?
The four roles
Open a role to see what you’ll do, the skills and evidence you’ll gain, and what the role does not involve.
Trainee Cyber Security Analyst – Become the First Line of Defence Against Cyber Threats
For students who enjoy problem-solving and want to learn how to identify cyber threats and recommend how to reduce them. You help schools understand their cyber risks and what to fix first.
What you’ll do
- Work through NCSC self-assessment tools with the team
- Research current threats to schools
- Analyse documented case studies of school cyber incidents
- Draft risk summaries and recommendations
- Present your findings to your supervisor
Skills you’ll build: technical
- Threat identification
- Risk assessment
- Using security frameworks
- Technical report writing
Skills you’ll build: employability
- Team communication
- Meeting deadlines
- Presenting findings
- Working to a brief
Evidence you’ll produce
- Risk summaries
- Case study analyses
- Presentation slides
- Supervisor feedback
Tools you’ll use
The NCSC’s and CyberSafeSchools free cyber-security tools and guidance; CyberSafeSchools Hub platform.
What this role does not do
You do not log in to any school’s live systems, see any school’s personal data, or take part in responding to live incidents.
Who should apply?
Students with a keen interest in cyber security who enjoy investigating problems and want to help protect schools.
Trainee Cyber Security Project Coordinator – Lead Cybersecurity Initiatives and Drive Change
For students who are organised and want to learn how cyber-security projects are planned, run and reported. You keep the team’s work for each school on track.
What you’ll do
- Plan team tasks and timelines with your supervisor
- Run short team check-ins and keep action logs
- Track progress on the team’s project board
- Prepare progress updates, which your supervisor reviews before they go to a school
- Keep project documents organised
Skills you’ll build: technical
- Project planning and scheduling
- The stages of a cyber-security project
- Risk and issue logs
- Project documentation
Skills you’ll build: employability
- Leadership
- Communication
- Organisation
- Time management
Evidence you’ll produce
- Project plans
- Action logs
- Progress reports
- Meeting notes
- Supervisor feedback
Tools you’ll use
A team project board CyberSafeSchools Projects; CyberSafeSchools Hub platform.
What this role does not do
You do not contact schools without your supervisor’s approval, make decisions on a school’s behalf, or see any school’s systems or personal data.
Who should apply?
Students with strong organisational skills who enjoy leading, working in a team and keeping things moving.
Trainee Cyber Security System Administrator – Secure and Manage the Team's Systems
For students who enjoy the technical side and want to learn how systems are set up and kept secure. You manage the working environment set up for your team, so you can learn properly without risk to anyone else.
What you’ll do
- Create and manage team user accounts in the placement environment
- Set up security settings such as multi-factor sign-in and permissions
- Apply updates and keep a change log
- Back up and document settings
- Check settings against NCSC guidance
- Write short how-to guides for the team
Skills you’ll build: technical
- User and access management
- Secure configuration
- Updates and patch management
- Technical documentation
Skills you’ll build: employability
- Attention to detail
- Following procedures
- Problem solving
- Explaining technical points simply
Evidence you’ll produce
- Configuration records
- Change log
- How-to guides
- Security checklist
- Supervisor feedback
Tools you’ll use
The team’s own Hub, training and project platforms.
What this role does not do
You do not administer any school’s or college’s systems, or CyberSafeSchools’ business systems, and you do not see personal data belonging to any school.
Who should apply?
Students who are enthusiastic about technology, detail-oriented and happy working behind the scenes to keep things running securely.
Trainee Cyber Security Trainer – Educate, Empower and Build Digital Learning
For students who enjoy explaining things and want to learn how to design and deliver cyber-awareness training. You turn the team’s findings into training that helps school staff and pupils stay safe online.
What you’ll do
- Research a training topic
- Design short materials such as slides, guides and quizzes
- Build or update course content in the learning platform, under supervision
- Rehearse and deliver sessions to the team and your supervisor
- Deliver sessions in schools, supervised
- Collect feedback and improve your materials
Skills you’ll build: technical
- Training design
- Cyber-awareness topics
- E-learning tools
- Making content accessible
Skills you’ll build: employability
- Presenting
- Writing for an audience
- Creativity
- Acting on feedback
Evidence you’ll produce
- Training materials
- Session plans
- Feedback summaries
- Supervisor feedback
Tools you’ll use
The academy learning platform, under supervision; CyberSafeSchools Hub platform.
What this role does not do
You do not manage other learners’ accounts or see their personal data [confirm], and you never work unsupervised with pupils.
Who should apply?
Students who enjoy public speaking and teaching, are enthusiastic about digital learning, and want to share their interest in cyber security.
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