From Classroom to SOC: Cyber Security Career Paths for Young People

Across the UK, young people are growing up in a world where almost everything is online – lessons, friendships, games, money, even homework. Behind all of that, thousands of cyber professionals work every day to keep systems safe.

Good news: this is not just “someone else’s job”. It can be your career.

According to recent UK government research, around 143,000 people now work in cyber security roles, and there is still a workforce gap of nearly 4,000 professionals that organisations are struggling to fill. That means real opportunity for today’s students.

This article explains what happens inside a Security Operations Centre (SOC) and shows the different paths from school or college into cyber careers.

1. What is a Security Operations Centre (SOC)?

A Security Operations Centre is the “emergency room” of cyber security.

A SOC team:

• Monitors networks, cloud platforms and systems 24/7

• Detects suspicious activity and potential attacks

• Investigates alerts to work out what is real and what is “noise”

• Responds quickly to contain threats and recover safely

A SOC analyst is usually on the front line – watching dashboards, analysing logs, triaging alerts, and escalating serious incidents so the wider team can respond.

It’s fast-paced, problem-solving work that suits people who like puzzles, patterns and helping others.

2. Typical Cyber & SOC Career Paths

There isn’t just one job called “cyber”. Here are some roles a young person might grow into:

Entry-level / early-career roles

• SOC / Cyber Security Analyst (Level 1–2)

  • Monitors alerts, performs initial investigations

  • Escalates serious incidents to senior analysts

  • Maintains documentation and shift handovers

• Junior Security Engineer / Security Administrator

  • Helps configure firewalls, endpoint protection, and identity & access controls

  • Supports patching and hardening of systems

• Cyber Apprentice / Trainee

  • Works in a security or IT team while completing a recognised apprenticeship (often Level 3–4).

Progression roles

• Threat Hunter / Senior SOC Analyst (Level 2–3)

  • Proactively searches for hidden or advanced threats

  • Tunes detection rules and improves SOC tools

• Incident Responder / Digital Forensics Specialist

  • Leads investigations into major breaches

  • Collects and analyses digital evidence

• Penetration Tester / Ethical Hacker

  • Simulates attacks to find weaknesses before criminals do

• GRC (Governance, Risk & Compliance) Specialist

  • Focuses on policies, regulations and risk management

  • Works closely with management and auditors

Over time, many professionals move into leadership roles such as SOC Manager, Head of Cyber Security, CISO or into specialist areas like cloud security, OT/ICS security or application security.

3. Skills That Start in the Classroom

Young people do not need to be “coding geniuses” to start in cyber. Many of the right foundations are already being built in school.

Helpful subjects:

• Computing / Computer Science – understanding how systems and networks work

• Maths – logical thinking, working with patterns and data

• Sciences – structured problem solving and experiment mindset

• English & Humanities – communication, report writing, ethics and critical thinking

Non-technical strengths are equally important:

• Curiosity: asking “what if?” and “how does this work?”

• Integrity: doing the right thing, even when nobody is watching

• Teamwork: incidents are always solved together

• Communication: being able to explain complex problems simply

The Prince’s Trust found that nearly 79% of young people would be interested in training in digital skills if given the right opportunity and support.Cyber gives them a concrete way to turn those skills into meaningful work.

4. Pathways for Young People in the UK

There are several routes from school to SOC and beyond. Many people mix and match over time.

A. CyberFirst and school initiatives (11–18)

The UK’s CyberFirst programme, run by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), offers free and low-cost activities to help young people explore cyber security – from courses and competitions to school recognition schemes.

Opportunities include:

• CyberFirst Schools & Colleges – recognition for schools that embed cyber into their curriculum, with support from industry partners.

• CyberFirst courses and activities – hands-on experiences introducing topics like digital forensics, secure coding, cryptography and more.

ICCSO can act as a bridge between CyberFirst, schools and local employers – helping schools connect with industry speakers, mentors and work experience.

B. Further Education, T-/V-Levels and vocational routes (16+)

After GCSEs, students might choose:

• A-Levels in subjects like Computing, Maths, Physics

• T-Levels / future V-levels and other vocational qualifications in digital or cyber-related pathways.

• Level 3–4 cyber courses at colleges or training providers, some funded as “Free Courses for Jobs” for eligible learners.

These give a mix of theory and practical skills, often including networking, operating systems and basic security.

C. Apprenticeships and early-career roles

Cyber and IT apprenticeships allow young people to earn while they learn, combining work in a security or IT team with study towards a recognised qualification (often Level 3 or 4).

Typical first roles:

• IT Support / Service Desk with a security interest

• Junior SOC Analyst or Junior Security Analyst

• Junior Network / Cloud Technician with security responsibilities

D. University degrees (optional, but useful for some roles)

Many universities offer:

• BSc in Cyber Security, Computer Science, Digital Forensics, Network Engineering, and more

• Degrees with year-in-industry placements (ideal for hands-on SOC experience)

For some specialist or research roles, a degree can be very helpful, but it is not the only route into the profession.

5. What Students Can Start Doing Today

Whether a young person is 13 or 19, there are steps they can take now:

At school (11–16)

• Join coding clubs, cyber clubs or STEM clubs

• Take part in cyber competitions or challenges when offered

• Experiment safely with Linux, networking basics and open-source tools (under guidance)

• Practise good cyber hygiene: strong passwords, MFA, privacy awareness

At college / sixth form (16–18)

• Choose courses that build digital skills (Computer Science, IT, T-/V-Levels in Digital)

• Look out for work experience with local tech or cyber companies

• Build a basic home lab using free virtualisation tools to learn networks and operating systems

• Start a simple portfolio: notes from labs, write-ups of beginner capture-the-flag (CTF) challenges, small scripts, etc.

18+ and early career

• Consider apprenticeships or junior SOC / analyst roles as a first step

• Explore entry-level certifications once fundamentals are in place (e.g. CompTIA Network+/Security+ or NCSC-Assured Training options).

• Join community groups like ICCSO local chapters (e.g. CyberMK) to meet professionals, attend talks and find mentors.

6. How ICCSO Supports the Journey

ICCSO exists to make cyber security more accessible, inclusive and community-driven.

Through our network, we aim to:

• Connect schools and colleges with real cyber practitioners for talks, workshops and mentoring

• Offer student challenges, meetups and hackathons with a strong ethical and safety focus

• Provide learning resources and signposting to programmes like CyberFirst, apprenticeships and university pathways

• Create work experience and project opportunities with our member organisations

Our vision is simple: a future where every young person who is curious about technology can see a clear, ethical path into cyber – from classroom to SOC and beyond.

7. For Teachers, Parents and Young People

• Teachers & schools: Get in touch with ICCSO to explore talks, workshops or partnerships, and to understand how CyberFirst Schools recognition could support your digital strategy.

• Parents & carers: Encourage your child’s curiosity. Ask about school clubs, competitions and safe online learning platforms.

• Students: If this article sparked your interest, you’re already on step one. Stay curious, stay ethical, and keep learning.

 

Sources and Further Reading

1. UK cyber security workforce & skills gap

   • Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, Cyber security skills in the UK labour market 2025 (research by Ipsos & Perspective Economics) – latest official overview of workforce size, skills gaps and shortages. GOV.UK+2UK Government Publishing+2

   • Coverage of sector size and workforce numbers in 2025 (including ~143,000 people employed in cyber security roles and strong demand for entry-level talent). thescottishsun.co.uk

2. CyberFirst programme and schools/colleges

   • NCSC, CyberFirst overview – government-backed outreach and education programme to inspire and equip young people for cyber careers. NCSC+2gchq-careers.co.uk+2

   • NCSC, CyberFirst Schools and Colleges – recognition scheme for schools and FE colleges committed to developing young people’s cyber skills. IN4.0 Group+4NCSC+4NCSC+4

   • NCSC, CyberFirst courses and resources – materials and support routes for teachers and organisations. NCSC+2NCSC+2

3. Apprenticeships and “earn while you learn” pathways

   • UK Government Security, Cyber TechTrack apprenticeships – 2-year Level 4 cyber security technologist apprenticeship across government. UK Government Security – Beta+2civil-service-careers.gov.uk+2

   • UK apprenticeships service, Cyber security technician (Level 3) and related early-career cyber apprenticeships. GOV.UK+1

   • Civil Service Careers, Government Security Cyber Degree Apprenticeship (Level 6) – 4-year integrated degree route into government cyber roles. civil-service-careers.gov.uk

4. Why schools and young people matter for UK cyber resilience

   • DSIT & NCSC materials highlighting the importance of building a large, diverse base of technical talent and the role of CyberFirst in inspiring future cyber professionals. IT Pro+4GOV.UK+4NCSC+4

Important Note
This article is provided for information and educational purposes only.It does not constitute career, legal or professional advice. Students, parents, schools and organisations should always check the latest official guidance and information from trusted sources (such as the NCSC, DSIT, UCAS and approved training providers) before making decisions.