Christopher Brake: a career in cyber security

Christopher tells us about the impact his placement had on his career

"I am a Cyber Security Challenge alumni, BT has a lot of involvement with the Cyber Security Challenge and so I got to be involved with one of the Masterclasses looking for new talent for BT. It allowed me to network with some of the heads of various cyber security companies."

Christopher Brake is now working for BT as a Cyber Security Graduate in Cardiff.

Christopher's story

Placement with BT

"When I started my degree I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do, I took a degree in an area which I had an interest in. The University provided me with lots of opportunities both within the course and through extra-curricular activities. It is through these opportunities I got to take part in the Cyber Security Challenge Masterclass where I met BT. I then ended up doing a placement with BT as part of my degree.

"I already had a graduate job offer from BT that started in September 2017 so in the time between finishing my degree and starting my job I spent a month travelling around Europe. I then moved to Cardiff to start my new job. Since then I have been getting involved in everything. BT has a vibrant graduate community so I have volunteered to help with events and more."

"My placement had a huge impact on both my short and long term career. In the short term it prepared me for my final year and the amount of work that I would need to do to achieve a first class degree. In the long term it has showed me what the industry is like and what areas are available to progress into."

Peer Assisted Learning Scheme (PALS)

Regular study sessions for students, by students

"I really enjoyed PALS, it was nice to get a student’s perspective of the modules I was taking. I then went on to become a PALS leader which allowed me to develop a lot of soft skills alongside the technical skills of my degree.

"My favourite memory is taking part in a PALS international conference in Edinburgh at which my team and I won the poster competition."

Learn more about PALS

Cyber security at Plymouth

"There are lots of reasons to do a course at Plymouth:

all the lecturers are very passionate and want you to succeed
it’s a very sociable university with every society you can think of
plenty of opportunities to get involved in various activities and events
the city itself is a nice place right by the sea.

"I attended an open day and had a look around the security lab and found it really cool."

"The IT industry is an ever changing place so it is difficult to keep up. My course gave me a solid base of knowledge and skills that allows me to further develop myself so I can overcome challenges I face. I think it prepared me as best as it could."

Enhance your knowledge of a variety of computing disciplines

Cyber security is now widely recognised as an international priority, with hacking, malicious code, and data theft being just three of the many reasons why it's vital in the design, development and implementation of today’s IT systems. This course delivers a view of security threats and solutions, alongside an essential background in wider IT topics. This is particularly important in light of the national Cyber Security Strategy and the current shortage of related skills in the marketplace.