Careers
IT and cyber specialisms, the real job roles behind the buzzwords, the qualifications that matter, and how to choose a path that suits you.
[ workshop ] // careers / theory / practical
IT & Cyber Security Career Workshop
A practitioner-led journey from "what is cyber security?" to a working understanding of how networks operate and how ethical hackers test them. Delivered free to schools, colleges, and community groups.
[ objectives ] // structure
What the workshop covers
The session is built around four objectives, moving from career awareness, through underpinning theory, into hands-on practical hacking against safe targets.
Theory
The building blocks: hosts and devices, networking fundamentals, the OSI and TCP/IP models, and ports & services.
Practical
The seven-phase penetration testing methodology, applied to both infrastructure and web application targets.
Choosing your path
Honest self-assessment: hands-on vs. strategic, and whether you want to protect, build, or analyse.
[ careers ] // it / specialisms
IT specialisms and example roles
Technology is not one job — it is a family of related disciplines. Most careers start in one area and branch out over time.
| Specialism | Example roles |
|---|---|
| Technical Support | Helpdesk, IT Technician |
| Networking | Network Engineer, Systems Administrator |
| Software Development | Web Developer, App Developer |
| Cyber Security | Security Analyst, Penetration Tester, SOC Analyst, Information Security Manager |
| Cloud & DevOps | Cloud Engineer, DevOps Specialist |
| Data & AI | Data Analyst, AI Developer |
Cyber specialisms: Red Team vs Blue Team
Within cyber security, two complementary mindsets dominate. Red teams simulate attackers to find weaknesses; blue teams defend, detect, and respond.
| Red Team | Blue Team | |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | Simulate real-world attacks to identify vulnerabilities and security gaps. | Provide monitoring and detection across systems, networks, and applications. |
| Responsibilities | Test detection and incident response; recommend remediation. | Investigate, contain, and respond to security incidents. |
| Tools & techniques | Pentest methodology, Kali Linux, password cracking, intercepting proxies, exploitation & evasion tools, privilege escalation scripts, C2 frameworks. | IDS/IPS, EDR, SIEM, malware analysis, forensics, IAM, and cloud security tooling. |
| Example roles | Penetration Tester, Red Team Operator, Security Researcher. | SOC Analyst, Malware Analyst, GRC Analyst, Threat Intel Analyst, Forensic Investigator, Security Engineer, CISO. |
| Qualifications | OSCP/OSEP, CEH, GPEN, PenTest+, CSTM, CSTL, CPSA, CRT, CCT, CRTO. | CySA+, CISA, CISM, CISSP, GREM, EC-Council CSA. |
Qualifications & progression
You do not need every certification — you need the right next one. A common, vendor-neutral progression starts with CompTIA and builds toward specialist credentials.
- CompTIA ITF+
- A+
- Network+
- Security+
- CySA+
- PenTest+
[ workshop ] // theory / network / hosts
Theory: hosts, networking, ports & services
Before you can attack or defend a network, you need to understand what is actually on it and how the pieces talk to each other.
Hosts & devices
A host is any device on a network. These include End User Devices (EUDs), servers, workstations, and virtual machines (such as Azure Virtual Desktops, AWS EC2, VirtualBox, and VMware guests). In your home lab, your Kali attack box and your vulnerable targets are all hosts.
The OSI model (7 layers)
| Layer | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 7 · Application | Services used by end-user applications. | HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, DNS, SSH, SNMP, SMTP |
| 6 · Presentation | Formats, encrypts, and decrypts data for the user. | JPG, GIF, SSL, TLS |
| 5 · Session | Establishes and ends connections between hosts. | NetBIOS, PPTP |
| 4 · Transport | Transport protocol and error handling. | TCP, UDP |
| 3 · Network | Reads the IP address from the packet. | Routers, Layer 3 switches |
| 2 · Data Link | Reads the MAC address from the data frame. | Switches |
| 1 · Physical | Sends data onto the physical medium. | Hubs, NICs, cabling |
The TCP/IP model (4 layers)
| Layer | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 4 · Application | Network services to applications; high-level protocols. | HTTP, HTTPS, SSH, DNS, FTP, SMTP, SNMP |
| 3 · Transport | End-to-end communication, reliability, flow and error control. | TCP, UDP |
| 2 · Internet | Best path through the network; logical addressing and routing. | IP, ICMP, ARP, IGMP |
| 1 · Network Access | Physical addressing, media access, and framing. | Ethernet, Wi-Fi, MAC, switches, NICs |
Ports & services
Ports are logical endpoints a host uses to manage multiple network connections and services at once. A single host can run many services, each listening on a specific port number.
- Well-known ports (0–1023) are reserved for common services — e.g.
80HTTP,443HTTPS,22SSH,25SMTP,53DNS,21FTP. - Registered ports (1024–49151) are used by applications — e.g.
3306MySQL. - Dynamic / private ports (49152–65535) are typically used for temporary, client-side connections.
Tools such as netstat (local) and nmap (remote) reveal which ports and services are active on a host — the first thing an attacker enumerates.
[ workshop ] // pentesting / methodology
Practical: the penetration testing methodology
Professional testing follows a repeatable, ethical process. We apply this same seven-phase methodology in the Learning Hub against both infrastructure and web application targets.
| Phase | Purpose | Common actions & tools |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Reconnaissance | Gather information about the target. | Passive & active OSINT — Recon-ng, Maltego, theHarvester, Google dorking, WHOIS, Shodan. |
| 2 · Scanning | Identify live hosts, open ports, services, and vulnerabilities. | Nmap, Masscan, Nessus, Nikto, OpenVAS. |
| 3 · Exploitation | Use vulnerabilities to gain initial access. | Metasploit, Hydra, SQLmap, Burp Suite. |
| 4 · Privilege Escalation | Move from user to admin/root; lateral movement. | Linux Exploit Suggester, WinPEAS, LinPEAS, PowerUp. |
| 5 · Post-Exploitation | Maintain access and extract value. | Mimikatz, Empire, Meterpreter, BloodHound. |
| 6 · Covering Tracks | Remove evidence (in authorised engagements). | Log clearing, Auditpol, Clear-EventLog. |
| 7 · Reporting | Document findings and remediation. | Dradis, Faraday, Serpico, custom templates. |
Infrastructure testing
Targeting servers, services, and operating systems — exactly what you will practise against Metasploitable in the Learning Hub.
Infrastructure targets →Web application testing
Targeting websites and web apps — practised safely against DVWA, covering injection, access control, and more.
Web app targets →Ethics first. Every technique in this workshop is taught for defensive and authorised testing only. Only ever test systems you own or have explicit written permission to assess.
[ careers ] // choosing your path
Choosing your path
There is no single "right" route. The best starting point is honest self-reflection:
- What do you actually enjoy — hands-on building and breaking, or strategy and analysis?
- Do you want to protect (defend systems), build (create software and infrastructure), or analyse (investigate and interpret)?
- Do you learn best through formal study, apprenticeships, or self-directed practice?
Bring this workshop to your school or group
We deliver the IT & Cyber Security Career Workshop free of charge to schools, colleges, and youth and community organisations across the UK.