1. Use a range of methods of enquiry to investigate career opportunities, develop and critically evaluate career and action plans to improve future employability.

Enquiry

2. Demonstrate a critical level of knowledge and understanding of models of reflection and their application as part of reflective practice in the development of a Professional Development Plan and Portfolio

Reflection

Knowledge & Understanding

3. Demonstrate through consideration in project work and reflection of work-based experience, a deep knowledge and understanding of technical, professional, ethical, legal and global issues and competencies surrounding the development of Cyber Security Solutions

Analysis

Learning

Reflection

4. Define and manage a work-based project in the Cyber Security domain considering a range of established techniques to provide solutions to problems developing knowledge, skills and behaviours within an apprenticeship standard

Communication

Problem Solving

Application

Work Based Project - three elements totalling 70%

You will work with a supervisor to define a work-based project that enables you to demonstrate you Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours in the workplace. The project will focus on aspects of information security plans, organisational policies and security management processes for information and cyber security, considering aspects such as service level agreements or employer defined performance targets.



It is the management of the project and the analysis of achievement which forms the basis of the assessment not the technical content – this will help form aspects of the portfolio that is required for your EPA

There will be three formal assessed submissions follows:

Project Proposal
Project Report
Project Presentation with Question and Answers (20 minutes presentation 10 minutes for Q&A

(Learning Outcomes 3 & 4)

Professional Development Plan 30%

A Professional Development Plan with a supporting reflective portfolio to illustrate the current position against the plan and action plan to achieve the planned goals to the equivalent of around 3000 words. (Learning Outcomes 1,2 & 3)


Assessing aspects of the following KSBs from the CSTP Apprenticeship Standard:

K1: Foundations of cyber security, its significance, concepts, threats, vulnerabilities and assurance

K13: Human dimensions of cyber security

S13: Assess culture & individual responsibilities

K15: Management of cyber security risk, tools and techniques

S15: Undertake risk modelling, analysis and trades

K16: Quantitative & qualitative risk management theory & practice, role of risk stakeholders

S16: Undertake risk assessment to an external standard

K17: Concepts & benefits of security management systems, governance & international standards

S17: Apply a management system and develop an information security management plan

K18: Security components: how they are used for security / business benefit. Crypto & key management

S18: Configure and use security technology components and key management

K19: How to compose a justified security case

S19: Design & evaluate a system to a security case

S20: Understand security assurance, how to achieve it and how to apply security principles,

S20: Architect, analyse & justify a secure system

K23: Cyber incident response, management, escalation, investigation & 3rd party involvement

S23: Manage intrusion response, including with 3rd parties

K24: Legal, regulatory, compliance & standards environment

K25: Applicability of laws regulations & ethical standards

K26: Legal responsibilities of system owners, users, employers, employees

B1: Fluent in written communications and able to articulate complex issues

B2: Makes concise, engaging and well-structured verbal presentations, arguments and explanations.

B3: Able to deal with different, competing interests within and outside the organisation with excellent negotiation skills

B5: Able to work effectively with others to achieve a common goal

B8: Analytical and critical thinking skills for Technology Solutions development and can systematically analyse and apply structured problem-solving techniques to complex systems and situations

B9: Able to put forward, demonstrate value and gain commitment to a moderately complex technology-oriented solution, demonstrating understanding of business need, using open questions and summarising skills and basic negotiating skills

B10: Can conduct effective research, using literature and other media

B11: Logical thinking and creative approach to problem solving

B12: Able to demonstrate a ‘security mind-set’ (how to break as well as make)

B13: Demonstrates business disciplines, ethics and courtesies, demonstrating timeliness and focus when faced with distractions and the ability to complete tasks to a deadline with high quality

B14: Flexible attitude and ability to perform under pressure

B15: A thorough approach to work in the cyber security role

Project context and scope:

The IT project initiation phase and the project charter. Environmental analysis and stakeholder involvement. Agreeing goals and deliverables and establishing terms of reference. Identifying and analysing critical success factors. Negotiating for resources


Project management processes:

Risk, change and quality management policies. Project management methods (e.g., AGILE, PRINCE2, PMBOK), documentation and reporting standards. Risk analysis and contingency planning. Monitoring risk and change in the project plan.

Project management tools:

choosing and using a project management tools, producing project reports and maintaining the project plan;
Project estimating & scheduling: manipulating effort and duration. overcoming estimating problems and improving estimating accuracy. Interpreting resource data in a project management package, Scheduling `non-linear’ project models


The project will be defined by negotiation but will be derived from your place of employment at a level appropriate to level 5 of the programme of study. Projects should involve project management, evaluation and communication, and demonstrate engagement with Cyber Security Technical Professional activities as illustrated in the apprenticeship standard. Projects will involve elements of work which can be mapped against the development of elements of the duties, knowledge, skills and behaviours of the apprenticeship on a case-by-case basis.



Professional Development Plan and Portfolio:

Identification of common career routes/pathways

The need for professional competencies

Personal development reflection (Personal Development Planning

Creating CPD portfolios

Personal skills of evaluation and reflection

Promoting yourself for careers and beyond
Building confidence with different formats
Identification of potential barriers and organisational restrictions to career paths
Recruitment processes and expectations

Reading job markets
Employment and the fit to lifelong learning
The need for skills currency

The digital workforce and worker within
Understanding the different types of employment from industry to self-employment
The role of entrepreneurship (identifying opportunity, channelling, evaluation, and exploitation)
Strategies, efficiencies, and lifelong planning
External Factors on Digital Careers including the requirements of Professional Bodies, legal, social issues and ethical issues, globalisation, the green agenda


This module will support the development of evidence of the following KSBs from the CSTP Standard:

K1: Foundations of cyber security, its significance, concepts, threats, vulnerabilities and assurance

K12: Threats, vulnerabilities, impacts and mitigations in ICT systems and the enterprise environment

S12: Discover, identify and analyse threats, attack techniques, vulnerabilities and mitigations

K13: Human dimensions of cyber security

S13: Assess culture & individual responsibilities

K14: Structured and ethical intelligence analysis, methods, techniques

S14: Undertake ethical system reconnaissance and intelligence analysis

S15: Undertake risk modelling, analysis and trades

K16: Quantitative & qualitative risk management theory & practice, role of risk stakeholders

S16: Undertake risk assessment to an external standard

K17: Concepts & benefits of security management systems, governance & international standards

K21: Assurance concepts & approaches

S21: Develop an assurance strategy

K24: Legal, regulatory, compliance & standards environment

K25: Applicability of laws regulations & ethical standards

K26: Legal responsibilities of system owners, users, employers, employees

B1: Fluent in written communications and able to articulate complex issues

B2: Makes concise, engaging and well-structured verbal presentations, arguments and explanations

B3: Able to deal with different, competing interests within and outside the organisation with excellent negotiation skills

B4: Able to identify the preferences, motivations, strengths and limitations of other people and apply these insights to work more effectively with and to motivate others.

B5: Able to work effectively with others to achieve a common goal

B6: Competent in active listening and in leading, influencing and persuading others

B7: Able to give and receive feedback constructively and incorporate it into his/her own development and life-long learning

B8: Analytical and critical thinking skills for Technology Solutions development and can systematically analyse and apply structured problem-solving techniques to complex systems and situations

B9: Able to put forward, demonstrate value and gain commitment to a moderately complex technology-oriented solution, demonstrating understanding of business need, using open questions and summarising skills and basic negotiating skills

B10: Can conduct effective research, using literature and other media

B11: Logical thinking and creative approach to problem solving

B12: Able to demonstrate a ‘security mind-set’ (how to break as well as make)

B13: Demonstrates business disciplines, ethics and courtesies, demonstrating timeliness and focus when faced with distractions and the ability to complete tasks to a deadline with high quality

B14: Flexible attitude and ability to perform under pressure

B15: A thorough approach to work in the cyber security role



Learning within this module maps to the following Fundamental British Values:¿¿

Tolerance

Rule of law

Democracy

Individual liberty

Mutual respect



Learning within this module maps to the following principles of Safeguarding & Prevent:¿

Preventing radicalisation

Reporting and accountability

Protecting from harm

Duty of care



Learning within this module maps to the following principles of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:¿

Accessibility in cyber security

Challenging discrimination

Inclusive practices

Cyber Security Project and Professional Development gives you the opportunity at the end of your second year to consider how you are progressing against your apprenticeship requirements and career aspirations. You will undertake an assessment of your career goals and investigate how well you are placed to meet those goals, what actions you need to take to address any short falls at this stage of your development. One of your key actions will of course be to complete your apprenticeship, and to check on how you are progressing against this you will undertake a reflective audit of the evidence you already have in place from completed modules and work-based evidence, much of which will have been identified in your Tripartite Reviews. This will mean that you truly understand where you sit against the required Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours of the standard as you head into level 6 of the apprenticeship.

You will develop substantial further evidence by undertaking an individual work-based project which will require you to specify the work by developing a project proposal, and implementing the work with the underpinning academic requirements, all great preparation for your Honours Project and End Point Assessment to come in the future.

This module will be delivered in a blended learning mode consisting of face-to-face, online and guided learning sessions.

Teaching sessions will blend theory and practical learning, and most importantly where possible will seek to be contextualised in your workplace as part of your apprenticeship. You will be introduced to curriculum concepts and ideas and will then be able to apply theory to practical examples. In addition, you will be provided with a range of resources for independent study such as case studies, academic papers and industry case studies. There will be a mixture of practical and theoretical formative (mock or practice) exercises which will help you build knowledge and confidence in preparation for summative (formal) assessment. At the heart of this module is your own project work and analysis of your progression against the apprenticeship standard, so outside of the launch weeks you will have 1:1 sessions with your academic mentors and project supervisors to monitor your progress.

The delivery will be delivered as follows:¿

Module Launch week: 12 hours.¿
¿
There will be a module launch week with up to 12 hours of face-to-face contact time devoted to developing your understanding of the core purpose and assessment of the module. You will be presented with details of how the learning will be structured and how to access to the learning materials for the remainder of the module.¿

Mid module on campus week: 12 hours.¿
¿
There will be a mid-module on campus week with up to 12 hours of face-to-face contact time devoted to further developing your understanding of the core purpose and assessment of the module.

Structured Learning Sessions: 6 hours

Following the module launch weeks you will have a further 3 hours of contact time as a class with the module team each teaching block. This will typically be as 4 x 1.5-hour online classes. Some sessions are likely to be in flipped classroom style, where you will be expected to watch online recordings, read materials or respond to practical activities in preparation for active engagement with problem solving in the online session.

1:1 Project Progress Checks: 3 hours

As a Blended Learner understanding your progress can be a challenge, so you are allocated 3 hours of 1:1 time as 9 x 20 minutes throughout the duration of the module. Some of these may be in small groups if appropriate. These sessions may be used to develop your individual project discuss key topics, troubleshoot solutions, review working drafts etc.

1:1 Professional Development Plan and Portfolio Progress Checks: 2 hours

As a Blended Learner understanding your progress can be a challenge, so you are allocated 2 hours of 1:1 time as 6 x 20 minutes throughout the duration of the module. Some of these may be in small groups if appropriate. These sessions may be used to help develop your individual Professional Development Plan, discuss key topics, help define the value of evidence and review working drafts etc.

The module leader will provide resources through the virtual learning environment which will include videos and presentations as well as links to useful websites and other resources. Additional academic learning will be achieved through reading around the subject area, module tutors will suggest useful texts, though many others will be suitable and can be found in our e-library. You should also draw on the expertise in your workplace via your workplace mentor and other colleagues. If you require help understanding any of the concepts, you should contact your module tutor for assistance.

As an apprentice you are constantly developing your Digital Skills as part of your substantial role this applies to the development of the knowledge for your modules too. In some cases, there will be a significant cross over between the module content and in others less so depending on the nature of your workplace duties, this will have a direct impact on to the number of Independent Learning required. A substantial part of this module will be drawing on your work-based activities for the project alongside evidence generated in the workplace for the Professional Development Plan Portfolio.

Assignment Development: Time 60 hours

A typical assignment will take you a minimum 60 hours to complete.

This module includes 95 off-the-job (OTJ) training hours as standard, covering new learning funded by the apprenticeship levy. A total 400 nominal learning hours has been attributed to this module, incorporating OTJ training alongside broader academic development beyond levy-funded new learning.

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Al-Janabi, S., Jabbar, H. and Syms, F. (2024) ‘Cybersecurity Transformation: Cyber-Resilient IT Project Management Framework’, Digital, 4(4), pp. 866–897. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/digital4040043.

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Harbash, R. (2019), Professional Practice in Engineering and Computing: Preparing for Future Careers, CRC Press; 1st edition.

Umer, W. (2020), Agile Scrum Crash Course: A Guide to Agile Project Management and Scrum Master Certification PSM 1, Independently published.

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Siau, K. (2010) Systems analysis and design: people, processes, and projects, Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, Inc.,

Tavani, H.T. (2015), Ethics and technology: controversies, questions, and strategies for ethical computing, 5th edn, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ.

Dennis, Alan (2015) System Analysis and Design, 6th Edition, Wiley

Brewer, J.L. & Dittman, K.C. (2013), Methods of IT project management, 2nd edn, Purdue University Press, West Lafayette, Indiana.

As appropriate to the student's individual project