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Cyber Security & Ethical Hacking Bootcamp

Move from zero to entry-level cyber roles in five days. Network defence, phishing response, ethical hacking fundamentals and incident response — hands-on from day one.

Free after redundancy in Wales with Welsh Government ReAct+ funding

Check if you qualify Download course info (PDF)
5 daysAbout 40 hours, 9am to 5pm
BeginnerLevel
Maesteg or onlineLlynfi Enterprise Centre or live online
£0With ReAct+ funding

What you'll learn on the Cyber Security Bootcamp course.

Cyber security is the fastest-growing skills shortage in Wales and the wider UK. Every organisation needs it, almost nobody has enough people, and salaries start high.

This five-day bootcamp takes you from the fundamentals through to ethical hacking basics and SOC analyst skills — the entry point to a career that's recession-proof.

No prior security experience needed. If you understand how to use a computer and browse the web, you have the foundation we'll build on.

40hIntensive training
5Hands-on labs
3Portfolio deliverables
1:6Tutor ratio max

Five days, one step at a time.

Mornings are taught sessions. Afternoons are hands-on labs where you build something real.

  1. Day 1

    Cyber Threat Landscape

    The attacks happening right now, the actors behind them, and why cyber matters more than ever in Wales.

    • Types of cyber threats
    • Threat actors & motivations
    • The cyber kill chain
    • Risk assessment fundamentals
    • Welsh cyber landscape
    • Career paths in security

    LabMap the threat landscape for a real Welsh SME

  2. Day 2

    Network Security & Defence

    How networks work, where they're vulnerable, and how to defend them with firewalls, monitoring and segmentation.

    • TCP/IP & networking fundamentals
    • Firewalls & intrusion detection
    • Network segmentation
    • VPN & remote access security
    • Wireless security
    • Network monitoring tools

    LabConfigure and defend a practice network

  3. Day 3

    Phishing & Social Engineering

    The attack vector behind 90% of breaches. Learn to spot, report and defend against social engineering at every level.

    • Phishing anatomy & techniques
    • Spear-phishing & whaling
    • Social engineering psychology
    • Email security & DMARC/SPF
    • Security awareness training
    • Building a reporting culture

    LabRun a simulated phishing campaign and analyse results

  4. Day 4

    Ethical Hacking Fundamentals

    Switch sides. Learn the same techniques attackers use — legally — to find vulnerabilities before they do.

    • Ethical hacking methodology
    • Kali Linux introduction
    • Reconnaissance techniques
    • Vulnerability scanning (Nmap, Nessus)
    • Password attacks & defence
    • Web application basics

    LabPerform a guided penetration test on a practice system

  5. Day 5

    SOC Operations & Incident Response

    What happens when an attack succeeds. Triage, containment, eradication, recovery — the skills SOC teams use daily.

    • SOC analyst role & workflows
    • SIEM introduction
    • Incident response framework
    • Evidence collection & chain of custody
    • Writing incident reports
    • Post-incident review

    CapstoneRespond to a simulated cyber incident from detection to report

Learners practising network defence on the free Cyber Security Bootcamp in Wales

Three real projects for your CV.

You leave with work you can show an employer, not just a certificate.

  • Vulnerability Assessment Report

    A professional vulnerability assessment of a practice environment — the exact deliverable SOC teams produce.

  • Incident Response Playbook

    A ready-to-use incident response playbook you can take to any employer to show you understand the process.

  • Hands-On Security Portfolio

    Evidence of practical labs including network defence, phishing analysis and ethical hacking exercises.

Is this course right for you?

Best for: Career changers, unemployed, SMEs, public sector.

This is for you if…

  • You want to break into cyber security from any background
  • You're interested in ethical hacking and how attacks work
  • You want a career with strong demand and good salaries
  • You can commit five full days of intensive learning
  • You're comfortable using computers and web browsers

It's probably not for you if…

  • You already hold Security+ or equivalent
  • You want advanced penetration testing (try our Ethical Hacking course)
  • You're looking for management-level security governance
  • You can't commit to all five days

Your next chapter starts a week on Monday.

Five days is all it takes. Check you qualify, then reserve your place on the next Cyber Security Bootcamp course.

Reserve my place Check if you qualify