Cybersecurity is part of our daily life, from the apps we use to the way we connect with friends. At the Faculty of Engineering, a new initiative is equipping elementary and high school students with hands-on skills in cybersecurity and online safety.
With $100,000 in funding from the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), the Faculty of Engineering Outreach team and the uOttawa-IBM Cyber Range are working to create programming that helps students navigate the digital world more safely. Over the next year, this partnership will help train 3,700 youth across Canada, equipping them with practical skills in cybersecurity and cyber-safety.
Cybersecurity training for high school and elementary students
High school students will receive a one-day training session with certification at the uOttawa-IBM Cyber Range. They’ll experience a real-world cyberattack simulation and participate in workshops on online protection. Elementary students will explore cybersecurity through interactive workshops that include hands-on activities.
Cybersecurity activities will also be integrated into all the Faculty’s summer youth programs, including its camps for children and teens. The program will extend to Indigenous communities through workshops and camps, and an online version will reach students in remote northern regions.
A national partnership
This initiative brings together two areas of expertise at uOttawa’s Faculty of Engineering: designing engaging youth programs in STEM fields and providing cybersecurity training.
By joining efforts, our Outreach and Cyber Range teams will make cybersecurity education more accessible, immersive and powerful for students across Canada.
Expanding cybersecurity education to communities across Canada
Six hundred high school students will complete the full-day program on campus, while approximately 3,000 participants in summer programs will participate in integrated cybersecurity activities.
Around 60 Indigenous students will benefit from hands-on learning through community-based summer camps and an online version extending the program to remote northern schools.
The students will have a glimpse into the rapidly growing field of cybersecurity. By getting to experience it at a young age, they’ll have knowledge to reference when applying to post-secondary institutions and in their future careers.
Discover uOttawa Engineering Outreach programs
To learn more about how the Faculty of Engineering is equipping students with critical cybersecurity skills, explore our youth and outreach initiatives.