Over £740,000 of Welsh Government Tech Valleys funding will help
inspire thousands more children across Southeast Wales to explore
cyber security careers.
The National Digital Exploitation Centre (NDEC) will use the
investment to expand its cyber security education outreach
programme to 10,000 learners across the region.
NDEC delivers interactive activities on digital forensics,
cybercrime and internet safety for primary school children.
The funding will enable bilingual delivery, introduce new
training on AI and sustainability, and help address barriers like
transport and equipment costs for schools in disadvantaged areas.
Delivered by Thales and the University of South Wales, and
supported by the Welsh Government, the programme encourages young
people to pursue education and careers in cyber security and
computing.
The expansion builds on the success of the first phase, which
reached 216 schools and 20,000 learners across Southeast Wales.
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, , said:
"These vital skills will help keep children safe online whilst
opening the doors to rewarding careers.
“Our investment will help inspire more students, foster early
interest in digital careers, and support the development of a
future cyber workforce - and I am really pleased that this
programme can now be delivered bilingually."
NDEC is currently delivering five-week digital forensics
activities to Year 5 students from Ysgol Y Graig in Merthyr
Tydfil.
The students have been learning about cybercrime and online
safety and recently took on the role of digital forensic
investigators - working in groups to gather evidence from a
staged crime scene, which they will analyse in a later session.
Ysgol y Graig Primary School teacher, Matthew Howells
said:
“The Digital forensics project is an absolutely amazing
experience for the children. The range of activities they
cover and the immersive experience of analysing the Jaguar,
gives the children a wide range of future career opportunities
and develops an increased passion for STEM. A wide range skills
are developed across the 5 project sessions and
the opportunity to work with STEM role models is an added
benefit for the children."
NDEC training lead, Lisa Cornford said:
“We're incredibly proud that NDEC continues to raise aspirations
across Southeast Wales, helping young people believe in what they
can achieve. This extension allows us to reach more learners,
inspire confidence, and introduce opportunities in the digital
world they may not have previously considered.”
Notes to editors
- Funded by the Tech Valleys programme, the NDEC education
outreach has been extended for a further three years (Sep 2025 –
August 2028) and delivered by the University of South Wales and
Thales.
-
Tech Valleys programme |
GOV.WALES
