What's Cyber Security like?

Cyber security uses technologies, processes and controls to prevent attacks on:

  • systems
  • networks
  • programs
  • devices
  • data

With this Graduate Apprenticeship, you’ll build a career in a fast-paced sector with varied roles.

We've worked with colleges, universities and industry employers to create this qualification. You'll gain the skills and knowledge the industry expects from a graduate - and earn yourself a degree.

What's the qualification?

You can gain a Graduate Apprenticeship at either:

  • SCQF Level 10 - Graduate Apprenticeship in BEng (Hons) Cyber Security, or
  • SCQF Level 11 - Graduate Apprenticeship in BEng (Masters) Cyber Security

SCQF qualification levels explained

What will I learn?

A Graduate Apprenticeship is about much more than getting a degree. In SCQF Level 10, you'll learn skills such as:

  • identifying and evaluating security threats and hazards
  • investigating different attack techniques and how to defend against them
  • finding vulnerabilities in a digital system
  • implementing cyber security defences against attack
  • understanding the foundations of cyber security
  • understanding cyber security concepts applied to ICT infrastructure
  • applying laws and ethics 
  • understanding existing threats as well as new trends

In SCQF Level 11, you’ll gain useful experience and skills such as:

  • confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA) - the 3 main components of information security
  • understanding probability, consequence, harm, risk identification, assessment and mitigation
  • threats, how they materialise, typical attacks and how those attacks exploit vulnerabilities
  • physical and process controls in an organisation
  • developing robust, resilient systems
  • understanding the personal, organisational and legal context

Developing skills

Your Graduate Apprenticeship will also help you to develop meta-skills. Employers value these skills, which include:

  • communication
  • problem-solving
  • working with others
  • time management
  • being adaptable
  • leading teams

These skills are crucial for your future life and career as they help you to:

  • cope and excel during change
  • solve problems
  • collaborate with others

Where could it take me?

For SCQF Level 10, you could find employment in roles such as:

  • cyber security analyst
  • malware analyst
  • security tester
  • security engineer
  • cyber security and information risk advisor
  • cyber security or information assurance architect
  • information security accreditor
  • cyber security/information assurance auditor
  • IT or network security engineer
  • cyber security forensics analyst

For SCQF Level 11, you could find employment in roles such as:

  • information security assurance specialist
  • cyber security technical specialist
  • security operations centre specialist

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for Graduate Apprenticeships vary by course and institution.

Each vacancy advert tells you what qualifications you need to start the apprenticeship. Or you can contact the university for guidance on entry requirements.

Duration

The Graduate Apprenticeship at SCQF Level 10 (Honours degree level) will take up to 4 years to complete.

You might complete the apprenticeship in a shorter time. That’s because you might have prior learning or experience that can be taken into consideration. This means you don’t have to repeat some parts of the qualification.

The Graduate Apprenticeship at SCQF Level 11 (Masters degree level) is a post-graduate qualification. It'll take up to 18 months to complete with the necessary entry requirements.

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