Burnley pupils and students get hands-on with latest cyber technologies

Part of the 2025 Lancashire Cyber Festival, and organised by the Lancashire Cyber Partnership, the cyber education week (February 2nd-7th) saw over 12,000 children and young people - from primary school pupils thorough to university undergraduates – discovering more about study pathways and future job opportunities set to be created by the county’s cyber sector.

Blessed Trinity College, The Heights, Burnley High School, Coal Clough Academy, and Shuttleworth College, were just some of local schools who signed up to take part, while Burnley College and Accrington and Rossendale College also got involved.

As part of the cyber education week programme, students from Burnley College visited the University of Central Lancashire’s Burnley campus, and Accrington and Rossendale College students travelled to Edge Hill University in West Lancashire.

Both groups of students were tasked with cracking cyber puzzles and undertaking exercises to solve technical challenges linked to online threats, and got to learn about some of the topics covered in a cyber degree.

In addition to giving young people the chance to experience what studying a cyber course could be like, both the college and university activities were programmed to showcase the different careers which Lancashire’s cyber economy has to offer, including some of the high-skilled jobs which will be generated directly and indirectly by the National Cyber Force (NCF) HQ coming to Samlesbury.

The wide range of cyber-related roles set to be created in sectors like computing and IT, aerospace and manufacturing, energy and low carbon, construction and engineering, financial and professional services, and the creative industries, were also highlighted.

Commenting on Burnley's involvement in cyber education week, Rosie Fearn, Director of The Lancashire Colleges group, said: “This brilliant countywide initiative has meant pupils from schools from across Burnley have had chance to see exactly what kind of cyber-related courses are on offer through their local college. In turn, students from Burnley College and Accrington & Rossendale College have been given a taste of what a Higher Education cyber programme would be like.

“Throughout all the activities, the message has been very clear; that cyber opportunities are something that are both accessible and attainable to everyone and that Lancashire is set to be the best place in the UK to pursue a cyber-focused career.”

A spokesperson for the Lancashire Cyber Partnership, a strategic collaboration between Lancashire County Council, the University of Central Lancashire, Lancaster University, BAE Systems, and the NCF, said: “The Lancashire Cyber Partnership works to ensure all Lancashire residents feel the benefit of the county’s growing cyber economy. A vital part of that is giving people the chance to access education and training opportunities which can lead to a high-skilled and high-value career in the cyber sector, and related industries.

“Cyber education week is a great example of how we go about achieving that objective. It’s fantastic that so many young people from Burnley got to take part, and see what their own future in cyber could look like.”

Other activities which took part during cyber education week included online assemblies created especially for Lancashire’s primary schools, a virtual ‘capture the flag’ competition open to all Lancashire college and university students, and a dynamic and interactive cyber discovery day programmed specifically for Year 8 and 9 girls.

Lancashire’s cyber education week is one of a series of in-person and online events which make up the 2025 Lancashire Cyber Festival.

Other festival interventions later in year- including industry workshops, discussion panels, special seminars and networking sessions - will be focused on the wider skills, investment and business growth opportunities set to be unlocked by Lancashire’s growing cyber economy.