Education, Skills and Training Bulletin February 2024

CyberScotland Week 2024

CyberScotland Week, 26th February – 3rd March 2024

Join us for CyberScotland Week 2024. A week of events focused on building cyber awareness and resilience across Scotland. There will be a rich array of education and training activity taking place throughout the week.

CyberScotland Week has something for all ages and stages, from early education to retirees. As our world increasingly moves online, we must understand cyber risks and take action to protect ourselves and our organisations. The various events will provide learning opportunities to help secure our digital lives at home or work.

Free webinars, resources and learning opportunities will be available throughout the week . These will help people and organisations become more informed about cyber risks and learn how to become more cyber resilient. There will be opportunities to connect with industry leaders in the field of cyber security.

Some examples of upcoming events include:

Holyrood Connect’s flagship annual cyber security conference Public Sector Cyber Security Scotland 2024 – 1st February
Widening your talent pool with inclusive recruitment – 27th February from the UK Cyber Security Council and Skills Development Scotland
Cyber Resilience Conference for the Third Sector – 28th February from ScotlandIS and SCVO
Public and Third Sector cyber roadshows from the Cyber and Fraud Centre in Edinburgh on the 29th February, 7th March, and 14th March
A series of 10 webinars from Lead Scotland including Information Literacy – 29th February and many more…

To see the full list of events or register your own event check out the Official CyberScotland Week page

Schools

The Cyber Access Hub

The UK Cyber Security Council has introduced a resource hub for young people aged 13-19, their parents/carers and teachers. They aim to nurture an interest in cyber security and signpost people to helpful resources to start their journey.

They’ve gathered content from across the UK to help you get informed, get excited and get started in the world of cyber security. The content hub will keep being updated and is accessible to all, regardless of your tech level.

To explore the new resource click here

Teacher Digital Skills toolkit

This toolkit document from Education Scotland outlines the skills and knowledge that comprise digital literacy in the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS)’s standards. The skills are organised into three levels:

Essential skills that are required by every teacher to engage with daily work routines, such as passwords and emails
Core skills that most teachers should have to effectively prepare learning activities and resources for learning, including using devices and apps to create presentations
Enhancing Learning and Teaching, which provides an overview of how digital skills may be used to improve learning, teaching and assessment

View the full document here

This document is part of a Digital Literacy series providing guidance to teachers from DigiLearn Scot, view the other documents here

Cyber Career Week

As part of the Cyber Choices Scotland programme, Police Scotland’s Cybercrime Harm Prevention Team have been engaging with young people who are developing their digital skills and a keen interest in cyber, by creating Cyber Careers Week.

Police Scotland’s Cyber Career Week is a virtual work experience programme which has been developed and delivered to up to thirty S4-S6 pupils at a time throughout Scotland. Attendees receive over 25 hours of content and participate in activities including developing their understanding of OSINT, social engineering, the ransomware kill chain and Police Scotland’s Cybercrime Harm Prevention team’s role in response to cyber-attacks. They also receive an input form an Ethical Hacking student. The students are tasked with developing their own response to a ransomware attack including elements of information sharing protocols, media strategies and the importance of exercising to prepare for potential attack.

Two Cyber Career Week courses per year are currently offered with the next planned for March 2024. If you have any cyber keen pupils who have skills that could benefit from attending Cyber Career Week please contact CyberChoicesScotland@scotland.police.uk .

Scottish schoolgirls emerge victorious at NCSC cyber skills contest

The 2023/24 CyberFirst Girls Competition saw the largest number of girls taking part since its inception. More than 12,500 girls across the UK took part, with 13 teams claiming the top prize. Scotland featured among the top teams with St. Kentigern’s Academy in West Lothian securing a place among the winners.

The teams used a range of cyber skills to compete in code cracking, decrypting messages and solving puzzles in a contest which seeks to inspire young women to pursue careers in cyber.

The contest is designed to encourage girls to explore the world of cyber and technology, helping to address the lack of diversity in the UK cyber workforce, where women currently make up just 17%.

Cisco Cyber Camps for girls and young women

In partnership with The Open University, the Cisco Networking Academy Cyber Camps will provide free, remote, self-paced training for students in the UK, aged 13-19, who identify as female or non-binary. Participants will learn industry-ready cyber security skills, while also engaging in forums hosted by experienced Cisco Networking Academy instructors, attending online webinars, and embarking on soft skills training.

In the UK, the national average for women and girls entering digital technologies, as well as studying computing-related programmes is an approximate 13%. The numbers vary; at its worst typically 9%, at best, around 22%. Whilst it is difficult to find accurate statistics, non-binary students are also an underrepresented group in the digital technologies field.

To find out more about it click here

Colleges and Universities

Join the Youth Advisory Panel with the UK Cyber Security Council (16-25 year olds)

Provide a youth voice across every part of the Council, lead projects, and raise awareness. Steer the future of the UK’s cyber security sector.

The UKCSC’s Youth Advisory Panel is a group which will lead projects, raise awareness of routes into the profession, and provide a youth voice across every part of the Council.

For more information and details on eligibility, you can click here.

To apply, complete the application form https://wkf.ms/3HrNcO4 by 17:00 on Sunday 18 February.

Community Learning and Development

New guide supports older people to navigate the digital landscape safely and securely

Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland has launched a new guide to empower Scotland’s older residents to be more vigilant against a new wave of scams targeting the age group.

This guide is available online and will be available as a printed version in January. It will be distributed through local community networks and at events targeting this demographic during CyberScotland Week.

Find out more information here

Access the guide here

Safer Internet Day

Safer Internet Day will take place on the 6th of February 2024, with celebrations and learning based around the theme ‘Inspiring change? Making a difference, managing influence and navigating change online’.

Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre, the celebration sees thousands of organisations get involved to promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.

For more information and access to educational resources visit the official page here

Digital Youth Work Conference

Join YouthLink Scotland to explore how youth work can have a positive impact on young people’s digital lives, helping them develop digital skills that will make a difference to their routes into employment.

Taking place on 6 February in conjunction with Safer Internet Day, at the Boardwalk, Impact Arts, Glasgow, they will be tackling topics like cyber resilience, digital inclusion, making the internet a safer place and exploring how to incorporate AI into youth work practice. There will be insights from a very wide range of youth work organisations, academics and plenty of practical how-to activity sessions.

Find out more information about it here

Future Proof your Skillset

This session from Skills Development Scotland and Digital Skills Education is ideal for anyone interested in upskilling to work in the technology sector or the wider Digital Economy. This includes school leavers, recent graduates, people not currently in employment, people looking to rejoin the workforce, career advisors, digital champions, and workplace learning coordinators. Learn how upskilling and reskilling in digital skills could not only boost your current career, but also pave the way for exciting new opportunities.

They will explain the different upskilling options open to you including free resources, online learning, bootcamps, college courses, and apprenticeships. They will help point you towards the next steps you need to take.

‘Dot’ magazine

Digital Skills Education have released a magazine for older people that shows them the best ways to protect themselves from online scams and discusses ways we can improve our digital wellbeing.

‘Dot’ magazine helps you be smart, safe, and connected. Drawing inspiration from popular lifestyle magazines, it features eye-catching layouts, captivating how-to articles to stay safe online, and stories.

The magazine is accessible to all readers, with a particular focus on women aged 50+, ensuring that cyber resilience is accessible and engaging for everyone. It is being distributed to community groups across Scotland.

This magazine is available for free thanks to funding from The Scottish Government as part of the CyberScotland Partnership Funding Initiative.

Order Dot magazine for your community group here: https://form.jotform.com/232542207329351

Businesses and other Organisations

Funded Cyber Essentials Programme offer now open

The NCSC’s Funded Cyber Essentials Programme aims to help small companies and organisations within sectors most at risk of cyber attack with free, hands-on help to implement the cyber security controls that prevent most common types of attacks.

Small or micro companies working on the development of fundamental Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in the UK can apply for to the programme for help.

For more details on applying to the scheme click here

Skills Development Scotland launch Digital Economy Guide

During Scottish Careers Week the new Digital Economy guide was launched which will help people better understand the term “digital economy” as well as highlighting the practical support available to enhance digital skills.

The term “digital economy” covers the massive growth in demand for digital technology jobs and skills. Without digital skills Scotland’s entire economy would stop turning. Which is why, back in March last year, SDS launched the first ever Digital Economy Skills Action Plan.

Off the back of that plan, the new Digital Economy Skills & Careers Guide was created. This guide has been developed to help both individuals and businesses upskill themselves on the digital economy, as well as signposting to further information and resources.

Public Sector Cyber Upskilling Fund Autumn/Winter 2023

Are you interested in upskilling your employees in the field of cyber security,  at no cost to your organisation? Now is the time, with support from the Public Sector Cyber Upskilling Fund. 

This scheme is funded by the Scottish Government’s Cyber Resilience Unit and is administered by ScotlandIS, the trade body and cluster management organisation for digital technology in Scotland. The aim of the fund is to help public sector bodies improve and accredit the cyber security skills of their employees, which in turn will help to make the organisation more cyber resilient.  

Find out more about it here

CYBERUK 2024: the UK’s flagship cyber security event

CYBERUK is the UK government’s flagship cyber security event, hosted by the National Cyber Security Centre. It convenes over 2,000 cyber security leaders and professionals each year for networking, knowledge exchange, and collaboration.

Join international leaders and technical experts at the ICC Birmingham from 13 – 15 May to examine the theme ‘Future Tech, Future Threat, Future Ready’. Learn about cutting edge developments, and explore how your peers plan to respond quickly to the threats and opportunities of rapidly developing technology.

To apply or simply find out more information visit the official CYBERUK page

FutureScot Cyber Security 2024

Futurescot’s annual Cyber Security conference is Scotland’s exclusive platform for public sector professionals, this event stands unparalleled in its commitment to fortifying the nation’s critical digital infrastructure.

The conference offers a rare opportunity to dive deep into cutting-edge cyber protection strategies, learning directly from the masters of the field. Participate in thought-provoking leadership sessions, masterclasses, and discussions that blend global thought leadership with practical, industry-leading best practices.

Date and time: 27 February, 08:30 – 16:30

Venue: University of Strathclyde, Technology and Innovation Centre, Glasgow

Find out more information here

New NCSC Cyber Incident Exercising scheme open for business

The NCSC has launched a new Cyber Incident Exercising (CIE) scheme, giving organisations access to NCSC assured exercising providers for the first time.

In August, the NCSC announced CREST and IASME as Delivery Partners for the scheme, to manage the assessment on behalf of the NCSC, and to onboard the assured exercising service providers.

The new CIE Scheme provides organisations with access to NCSC assured CIE service providers able to create bespoke, structured table-top or live-play cyber incident exercises, helping organisations to robustly practise their responses in a safe environment.

Find out more about it here

Learning for Everyone

Empowering Women to Lead Cyber Security – Scotland – Spring

This is a unique, cross-sector, leadership program for women in cyber security and resilience, delivered by Empowering You and in association with the Scottish Digital Academy, Scottish Government and ScotlandIS. The aim is to build a collaborative and powerful community of women leaders in digital transformation roles across Scotland.

Delivered over 3 months from March – May 2024, ”Empowering Women to Lead Cyber Security” is designed to enable the transition of aspirational and early to mid-career professionals, team leaders and managers into more confident, capable and energised leaders.

Find out more information or apply for the program here

Lead Scotland widen access with variety of cyber courses and resources

Check out the expanding range of Easy Read Cyber Resources from Lead Scotland available to support the delivery of webinars, to widen access to guidance for people with learning disabilities.

New self study short courses posted on My Lead – Homepage | Lead Scotland include Information Literacy, Romance Scams, as well as other cyber related courses. To register for their courses sign up with an email and of course a long strong password.

If you are an SQA Centre you can contact Lead Scotland to use their combined learning and teaching materials to deliver SCQF level 4 Cyber Fundamentals and PDA in Internet Safety. Initially designed for school pupils, Education Scotland gave permission to design materials which were more relevant for adult learners.

Also they have been delivering online and in person courses in a targeted way to reach disabled people and carers. Contact cyberproject@lead.org.uk if you would like them to run a session for your team or the people who use your services.

CyberByte: monthly updates helping raise cyber awareness

Keep a watch on the monthly CyberScotland Bulletins for the new CyberByte updates helping raise cyber awareness. Provided by Police Scotland each update provides a different piece of accessible cyber-related guidance to build the readers cyber knowledge.

The December CyberByte covered ‘online gaming safety awareness’ and the January CyberByte took the form of a quiz to test your cyber knowledge. Every CyberByte is signposted with links to direct you to the further guidance to help expland your knowledge on it’s given subject.

Guidance on Sextortion from Police Scotland

Sextortion is sexual extortion where the victim is exploited through threat of the exposure of intimate images and is usually for financial gain or as a means of controlling behaviour. It is a growing threat and comes in many forms including phishing emails, non-consensual intimate image abuse (also referred to as revenge porn), online child sexual abuse and exploitation (grooming).

If you or someone you know becomes a victim of sextortion its advised that you do not panic, do not pay and don’t talk any further to the criminals. Resources and organisations that provide support can be found in the full guidance.

To read the full guidance click here

CyberScotland Bulletin