Pause carousel
Play carousel
Reskilling members of the Armed Forces community as Ethical Hackers
Abertay University is teaming up with SaluteMyJob and the Cyber and Fraud Centre - Scotland to deliver a pioneering programme to support members of the Armed Forces community on their journey towards a career in cybersecurity.
The partnership will offer a short, tutored ‘Penetration Testing Course’ to serving personnel, veterans, reservists and military spouses.
Designed to help students develop a critical understanding of the tools used to examine the security of a device or network, the course will provide learners with the knowledge and skills to gain a commercially recognised qualification and, where appropriate, the opportunity to apply their skills in a practical environment.
Andrew Jackson, Managing Director of SaluteMyJob, said:
Our first pilot with Abertay University in 2021 was a great success. We are delighted to be partnering up with the University again to help fill a notable shortage of penetration testers, and with members of the Armed Forces Community whose transferable skills make them ideal in these roles.
It's an ideal opportunity for those with a security mindset, who possess military security skills and experience, and are trained to analyse the enemy's plan and means of attack.
The programme, open now for applications, comprises four stages, starting with preparatory online training. Following which, students will be enrolled onto an intensive eight week ‘Penetration Testing Course’. This training will be delivered by the academic team in Abertay University Cybersecurity Division and will be delivered entirely online.
Upon completion of the programme students will be able to sit the CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) exam and have an opportunity to gain a recognised qualification in cybersecurity.
SaluteMyJob is already working with a number of employer partners to provide paid work placement opportunities and employment into permanent roles, from the summer onwards, allowing participants to apply their learning in practical and commercial environments.
Dr Natalie Coull, Head of the Division of Cybersecurity at Abertay University, said:
It’s great to be working with SaluteMyJob and Cyber and Fraud Centre - Scotland on this project, which will help upskill veterans as they take their first steps towards entering the cybersecurity industry. Abertay’s core mission is to provide transformational opportunities to our students. As a UK leader in cybersecurity education we are committed to ensuring those opportunities extend to all of the groups engaging with us, from a wide range of backgrounds.
Following the successful completion of this pilot, the hope is to open up the opportunity to more members of the Armed Forces Community with more courses running later in the year.
