SETU and the South-East chapter of Cyber Ireland kicked off their Cyber Schools Initiative in January 2025, with visits to 20 schools around the south east of Ireland.
The initiative has been run in conjunction with SETU and Calmast STEM Engagement Centre
Successful programme launch
“I am delighted to see the successful launch of the Cyber Schools Initiative 2025. This project has come to fruition through the collaborative efforts of our partners at Cyber Ireland, Calmast, and our team here at the University. We were fortunate to have up to 50 secondary schools apply for the programme.
For the first roll out, we have been able to accommodate 20 of those schools which means up to 1,500 students will avail of the programme this year.”
Dr James Egan, SETU Lecturer in Cybersecurity.
“Our children are the future of IT and Cyber Security. This initiative encourages them to understand cyber risks in today’s world in a fun way and consider a future long-term career in Cyber Security.”
Barry Kelly, Assistant Vice President, Threat and Vulnerability Management of Sun Life in Waterford, who undertook two of the school visits.
Inspiring and educating the next generation
"Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving field that plays a critical role in safeguarding our digital world. With the rapid pace of technological advancements, there is a growing demand for skilled professionals in this area. It's essential to inspire and educate the next generation about the importance of cybersecurity.
Initiatives that engage young people, especially girls, in fun and interactive ways can spark their interest and potentially lead them to pursue a rewarding career in this dynamic industry. It’s very exciting to see this programme being rolled out, as it promises to cultivate the cybersecurity leaders of tomorrow and ensure a safer digital future for all."
James Savage, Senior Manager at Security Risk Advisors in Kilkenny, also visited two of the schools.
Programme activities
The Cyber Schools programme activities include hands-on tasks such as ‘Defend the Hospital’, a cyberattack simulation where students protect sensitive data or ‘Solving a Murder Using Digital Forensics’ which provides a chance to investigate and uncover digital clues. Other activities are ‘Hide Secret Messages Using Steganography’ where students learn how to encode and decode hidden messages, while ‘How to Rob a Bank’ is a fun educational activity exploring common methods of cyber fraud. These sessions provide a deeper look at the tools, skills, and career opportunities available in the field of cybersecurity.
Regional collaboration and support
The initiative is sponsored by the following companies: SunLife, State Street, Stryve, Security Risk Advisors, UKG, and FORUS-P Cyber Security. They have also provided schools with in-person sessions with industry professionals who can give first-hand insight to students on the field of cybersecurity.
At participating schools, teachers are provided with full guidance, including learning and presentation materials with voiceovers, from SETU’s cybersecurity lecturers, as well as from participating cyber professionals.
