City College Plymouth has proudly launched its cutting-edge Cyber Security Suite, further cementing its reputation as a leader in digital education. This milestone comes as the College celebrates being awarded the prestigious 2024/25 AoC Beacon Award for Digital Innovation - a national recognition of excellence in further education.
The new Cyber Security Suite has been designed to provide students with practical experience in addressing today’s cyber security challenges. Supported by BIT Training and The CyberHub Trust, and funded by the Local Skills Improvement Plan, this state-of-the-art facility reinforces the College’s commitment to bridging the digital skills gap and equipping students for high-demand roles in the digital economy. With demand for talent across the cyber security sector significant, this initiative ensures students are well-positioned to access high-value jobs in the tech industry.
As the South West’s first Google for Education Reference College, City College is a leader in digital skills education. This latest facility builds upon the College’s digital learning environment, which includes cutting-edge resources like a high-tech immersive room, a digital skills lab, and extensive IT resources, all designed to prepare students with future-ready skills.
The launch event featured an interactive demonstration by students and a networking session with industry leaders and professionals, providing attendees with insight into the suite’s capabilities.
"We’re excited to launch our new Cyber Security Suite at City College Plymouth," said Jackie Grubb, Chief Executive. “It highlights our commitment to equipping students with essential digital skills through hands-on experience with industry-standard tools to protect data, secure networks, and counter cyber threats.
"These facilities bridge the digital skills gap, preparing our students for in-demand roles and supporting regional economic growth. We’re grateful to BIT Training and The CyberHub Trust for their invaluable support in making this initiative possible and ensuring our students are ready for a technology-driven world."
Mike Dieroff, CEO of BIT Group said,
“By partnering with City College Plymouth and The CyberHub Trust, BIT Group is helping to build a more resilient workforce across the South West. We have fostered a long-term relationship, which is maturing and improving into areas of co-delivery between industry and education. Our expertise in information security consultancy and global cyber training delivery, combined with the Cyber Security Suite’s advanced technology, will provide students with hands-on experience in defending against real-world cyber threats. We are excited to be able to provide access to these skills, to even more people in the region with this partnership!”
Level 3 computing student Jay Fitzgerald shared his enthusiasm for the new facilities, saying,
"I am really excited about the new security operation centre, as it inspires me and will hopefully inspire others to take an interest in cyber security. Having more advanced equipment will allow me a fuller understanding of threats that organisations face, and I cannot wait to study this subject at a higher level as a result."
The Cyber Security Suite features advanced technology for incident response and business continuity training, simulating real-world scenarios that prepare students for the challenges of a technology-driven world.