Meet
Louis
Cyber Security
“Skills Bootcamps in general offer an accelerated and intensive learning experience, designed to deliver targeted, practical skills in a condensed timeframe. This format is particularly appealing to me because it allows for quick upskilling or reskilling, enabling me to transition into cybersecurity faster. And I highly recommend it!”
Meet Louis, who completed the Cyber Readiness Skills Bootcamp.
Age 58
Louis is the founder of a start-up, CyberSafeSchools (https://cybersafe.school/). The company provides tangible support and a platform to schools across the UK to help prevent and safeguard against cyber-attacks. He is passionate about safeguarding all UK schools against cyber-attacks.
Having worked in tech his whole life, Louis was looking for a change. He took part in a Web Development Skills Bootcamp in 2019 and became fascinated with Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and cyber security.
On the back of this new interest and with a couple of local schools falling victim to cyber-attacks, Louis said “I came across the Cyber Security Skills Bootcamp [with BlueScreen IT], and I jumped at the opportunity. That’s where I started formulating a whole idea of wanting to really try and help protect UK schools.”
“The impact cyber-attacks have on these schools is quite devastating. Besides the severe consequences such incidents can have, including data breaches, financial losses, and disruption to learning, often highly confidential information about both staff and students is either sold or exposed on the dark web. This growing threat is what led to the creation of CyberSafeSchools.”
“I had a straightforward mission: to help protect and defend UK schools. I joined the Skills Bootcamp to sharpen my skills and validate the strategies, techniques, and approaches I planned to use.”
Skills gained
Cyber and Network Security, Cyber Security Analytics, Vulnerability Assessment, Compliance and Pen Testing, CompTIA
The startup ran a pilot programme in 2023 with four primary schools, using the National Cyber Security Centre tools and platform that Louis has created, which has been quite successful creating awareness of cybersecurity and help making the schools more secure. Alongside this, CyberSafeSchools Academy plans to engage students through work experience programmes and an interactive academy, aiming to empower them to become cyber security advocates themselves and applying the knowledge and experience they gain in making their own schools secure.
The Skills Bootcamp also lead Louis onto another new pathway, teaching. Noticing his passion for IT and tech, BlueScreen IT encouraged Louis to tutor another of their ICT certification programmes. Having enjoyed this new avenue very much, he took on tutoring elsewhere and continues to run an afterschool coding club in a primary school. More recently he has also become a STEM ambassador hoping to inspire and guide the next generation in one of the most critical fields of our time. Cybersecurity is not just about protecting systems—it’s about safeguarding pupils, teachers, schools, and even national security.
Louis said:
“Skills Bootcamps in general offer an accelerated and intensive learning experience, designed to deliver targeted, practical skills in a condensed timeframe. This format is particularly appealing to me because it allows for quick upskilling or reskilling, enabling me to transition into cybersecurity faster. And I highly recommend it!”
At CyberSafeSchools “we bridge the gap between awareness and implementation with a simple, effective solution, all while nurturing the next generation of cybersecurity talent.”
Join the thousands supercharging their skills and find out more about the Skills Bootcamps available in Devon and Cornwall this year – discover the range of courses available to adults.