Meet Nathan Watson: Cyber PATH Student
Nathan is currently an undergraduate Cyber Security and Forensic Computing student at the University of Portsmouth and has been a part of the Cyber PATH programme for over a year. Speaking about his experience so far, Nathan highlighted the flexibility he has to fit the programme’s activities around his studies and the technical understanding he has developed.
“I think the best thing about coming to university has been joining Cyber PATH; there really is nothing like it. You have complete flexibility in your workload and can choose to complete projects around your studies as well as any wider extra-curricular activities.
“I have had the opportunity to deliver a number of services so far including Open Source Intelligence Investigations, web application vulnerability assessments and internal vulnerability assessments. Looking ahead, I am hoping to be able to conduct policy reviews for clients and deliver some security awareness training.
“Having access to such a variety of tasks means that I am always learning new skills and can challenge myself to keep growing.”
Cyber PATH is designed to develop both the technical skills and commercial knowledge of the UK’s next generation of cyber security specialists. It does this by enabling students to work on real-world projects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
“Having interactions within a professional work environment has vastly developed my ability to communicate with people effectively. Specifically, before joining the programme, I had no experience in report writing but now I am confident at writing reports for clients in a way that is of real use to them.
“More generally, the programme has developed my technical skills, which in turn has benefitted my university studies – it has given me extra exposure to the types of techniques used in the industry. I am now more confident in the work I complete and in sharing my ideas with other people.”
Nathan is attached to the Cyber Resilience Centre for the South East but has enjoyed assisting SMEs across the country in strengthening their cyber resilience.
“I am seeing first hand how this initiative is helping small businesses to shore up their cyber defences. It really is an excellent entry point for anyone looking to enter a career in cyber. To be selected for the programme, prior experience really isn’t the be all and end all. The Cyber PATH team want to give students an opportunity who they can see have an interest in cyber and a willingness to learn. Theyare more concerned about the type of expert you could develop into rather than what you know right now.”
Upon graduating from Cyber PATH, Nathan is hoping to continue working in a cyber-related field.
“My degree, my wider interests, and the experience I have gained through this programme are all going to serve me well in my future profession – whether I look to go into DevOps, programming or something else in the cyber space. I still have so much to learn in the industry so I am excited to keep moving forward with an open mind.”