Learn to code for free at the South West College Cyber and Coding Summer Camp taking place across our Dungannon, Enniskillen and Omagh campuses this summer, from 27 June – 1 July, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm daily. Theexciting yet intensive one-week camp funded by Bring IT On aims to help people aged 15-20 learn industry skills for free and is now open for enrolments with limited spaces at www.swc.ac.uk/cybersummercamp

As far back as 2012, then culture minister, Ed Vaizey, said the public must start to place as high a value on their computer skills as they do on their ability to string a sentence together. Northern Ireland embraced this revolution and now employs around 2300 individuals in the cyber security sector, according to a recent DCMS report. And according to the latest government statistics, the average advertised salary in cyber security roles in Northern Ireland is £49,100 - two-thirds higher than the average £29,000 salary.

With Government projecting an annual shortfall of 10,000 practitioners in the UK, Coding is undoubtedly a lucrative and vastly growing industry, and cyber, and coding skills are essential to many new and emerging jobs, as well as becoming useful in more traditional career areas as well. Cyber Security, in particular, is something that all businesses are aware of, and as such, it’s a career area that is likely to create more jobs in the coming years; as the sector grows in line with our increasingly digital lives.

The South West College Cyber and Coding Summer Camps are designed to fill this skills gap and are taught by friendly, expert tutors and will include lunch, mini competitions and prizes on the final day of the camp. Throughout the week, students aged 15 -20 will learn coding skills through python programming and cyber understanding and skills, providing learners with the basic skills to progress.

The small Cyber and Coding group camps aim to help students develop hands-on skills to start a career or further their learning in the lucrative area of cyber and coding, which was the case for last year’s student, who said:

‘The cyber and coding summer camp was a great experience. Each day I learnt something new, and the course content was well laid out, easy to follow, and gave me a better insight into cyber security and coding. I loved the competition aspect of the course as I thought it made it more engaging with everyone trying to come first.’

Cyber & Coding Summer Camp Student

Funded by Bring IT On the South West College, Cyber and Coding Summer Camp is open to all applicants aged 15-20. So, to add coding to your summer plans, sign up now. To secure your place, visit www.swc.ac.uk/cybersummercamp or for further information contact: anne-marie.donaghy@swc.ac.uk

Cyber and Coding Summer Camp