For many young people, starting a career can feel like trying to find a route through a maze. A lack of experience, limited networks and uncertainty about which skills employers need can all create barriers to employment.
That is why accessible training matters.
IASME’s Cyber Basics course, delivered in partnership with GoodWork, gives young people the opportunity to explore cyber security, build technical skills and take a confident step towards employment or further learning.
Creating fairer opportunities for young people
GoodWork is a youth employment and social mobility charity creating fairer opportunities for young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Its mentoring and employability programmes support 18–25-year-olds who are facing multiple barriers to employment, helping them develop confidence and work readiness. GoodWork also works with employers and policymakers to help create a fairer world of work.
Since launching its pilot programme in 2023, GoodWork has supported over 150 young people. More than 70% of programme alumni secure employment or return to education within six months of completing their programmes.
Introducing Cyber Basics
Cyber Basics is an entry-level cyber security training course and assessment developed by IASME. It is designed for people who are new to the subject, including school leavers, career changers and anyone curious about how cyber security works.
The course combines two days of in-person training with a half-day assessment. Rather than focusing only on theory, participants learn by working directly with IT equipment and exploring how security principles apply to everyday technology.
No previous IT or cyber security experience is required.
Learning by doing
During Cyber Basics, participants learn about:
– Fundamental cyber security principles
– How to securely configure IT systems, including laptops and mobile devices
– The practical importance of protecting accounts, devices and information
– Cyber Essentials requirements and assessments
– Skills relevant to frontline IT roles
The hands-on format helps make the subject approachable and memorable. Participants can test their understanding through quizzes, practical exercises and group discussions, while asking questions throughout the course.
This approach is particularly valuable for learners who may not have had the opportunity to gain technical experience through traditional education or employment routes.
Building confidence as well as capability
Cyber security can sometimes appear complicated or inaccessible from the outside. Cyber Basics breaks the subject down into clear, manageable steps, allowing participants to see how the concepts connect to the technology they use every day.
Feedback from participants highlights the impact of this practical and supportive approach:
“Everything was clear and concise at no point was anything too drawn out and questions were always welcome”.
“The quizzes and hands-on practical were useful to gauge our learning.”
These comments reflect an important part of the course: participants are not expected to arrive knowing everything. They are encouraged to explore, practise and build their understanding in a welcoming environment.
An inclusive route into cyber security
The cyber security sector faces two significant challenges: a skills gap and a lack of diversity. Organisations need more qualified professionals, but they also need people with different experiences, perspectives and ways of solving problems.
Cyber Basics supports both goals by creating an inclusive entry point into the industry. The course is designed to be accessible to all learners, including for neurodivergent individuals, and focuses on developing practical ability alongside confidence.
For participants, this can provide a valuable first step towards a career in cyber security or IT. For employers, it helps grow a broader talent pipeline and introduces new potential candidates to the skills the industry needs.
What comes next?
Cyber Basics is not just an introduction to cyber security; it can also be the beginning of a longer career journey.
Successful candidates may be able to progress to the Trainee Cyber Essentials Assessor Pathway, opening the door to further development and a potential career assessing organisations against Cyber Essentials requirements.
That progression is one of the strengths of the course. Participants can start with the fundamentals, gain practical experience and then explore where their interests and abilities could take them next.
A partnership with a positive impact
Through its work with GoodWork, IASME is helping make cyber security more visible and accessible to young people who may not previously have considered it as a career option.
The partnership brings together GoodWork’s experience in supporting young people facing barriers to employment and IASME’s expertise in cyber assurance and cyber security training. Together, they create a learning experience that is practical, inclusive and connected to real opportunities.
Sajni Dhamecha, Partnerships and Development Manager at GoodWork, said:
“It was great to work with the IASME team to deliver the two and a half days Cyber Basics training course to our GoodWork community. The course was oversubscribed from the get-go, and it was brilliant to see everyone so engaged with the content. Not only were there practical takeaways, but more importantly, the course raised awareness of the breadth of careers across cyber and opened doors for our young people.”
For participants, the result is more than two and half days of training. It is the chance to learn something new, gain confidence with technology and take a meaningful step towards work or education.
Find out more about Cyber Basics
To find out more or book a place on Cyber Basics training and assessment, or to arrange the stand-alone assessment, contact [email protected].