CyberFirst trip looks to the future

On Thursday, 14 November a group of Year 8 and Year 9 pupils attended the CyberFirst Day at HOST, MediaCity, Salford. 

This event was designed to transform the way students think about careers in computing and included immersive and inspiring activities led by some of the leading tech organisations from around the world. 
Head of ICT & Computing, Mrs Qadri, said, "The goal of these events is to reach students at a pivotal moment in their education to change their perspectives on computing and to inspire the next generation of cyber-professionals".

Students heard from inspirational leaders in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) with the intention to spark their interest in technology careers whilst also exploring the latest innovations in AI, cyber security, data science and robotics.

Pupils toured HOST encompassing their eSports, Internet of Things Avenue and Immersive Lab.  This was followed by a 'The Future of Technology' talk where they discussed AI jobs of the future, took part in a quiz and debated the ethics of AI. 

The first interactive workshop involved a Digital Detective Challenge with Data Analytics, Open Source Intelligence and a GeoGuessr activity before moving on to the second workshop where pupils were challenged to 'Crack the Code', competing in teams to unlock devices against the clock with cryptography challenges that explored the foundations of cyber security.  To top the visit off, pupils took part in a virtual reality gaming experience. 

SALMA TO CHECK -The pupils had a fantastic day and even managed to squeeze in a visit to Media City across the way.  Here's what they said about it:

Year 9 Excellence I said, "The trip was fun, exciting, welcoming, enjoyable and lots more. I think we should do more tech based trips like this one so we can get a better feel of how tech will be like for us in the near future. I enjoyed the various quizzes but I loved the gaming areas the most. Overall it was an amazing trip."

Year 9 Esa B thoroughly enjoyed the trip, adding, "It was highly informative, educational and entertaining. I most liked the casual gaming area and eSports arena. It has definitely opened my mind towards a tech-related career in the future."

Year 8 Sophia L also had a fantastic day, "I loved the tour and thought it was amazing! I enjoyed the bots and programming them. I’m thinking of doing it for GCSEs".

Naeem K, Year 9, said the event had a wide variety of fun and educational activities. "I enjoyed the patient zero activity. This trip has made me think about doing Computer Science. This trip has made me think of jobs."
Year 8 Zane P had a 'cool' time, saying, "Today’s trip to HOST MediaCity was really cool. We got to try out loads of different activities, from cybersecurity workshops to professional eSports computers. My favorite part was definitely the eSports area. The whole day got me thinking about possible careers in cybersecurity and eSports, and it really showed me how important tech and media are in today’s world. I was already thinking about a GCSE in Computer Science and this trip has reinforced my idea".

Year 9 Millie ended with "Today's trip was very good, we had lots of opportunities to learn and try new things."

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