College bosses have unveiled a new centre to help train students to tackle the growing scourge of cyber-crime.
Dundee and Angus College has become the first in Scotland to launch a cyber security lab.
The centre, located at its Gardyne Campus in Dundee, is designed to mirror the real-life conditions that cyber security experts would work in.
By providing a more authentic experience for the students, college bosses hope to enhance their learning and better prepare them for careers in the real world.
The venture is part of an award winning initiative which aims to bring companies into the classroom to forge closer links with the college.
It is hoped the connections will help provide students with opportunities for work experience within their chosen industries and ultimately open doors for employment when they leave college.
Initial connections were forged between the college and MTC Media more than two years ago. Leaders have also brought on board industry giants Cisco and Ninja Kiwi.
The programme has resulted in companies sponsoring classrooms, providing equipment and a team being sent to help with digital work at the Carnoustie Golf Open.
Gillian McGovern, computing and creative media head of learning at the college, said: “This is a huge opportunity for us and our students.
“It’s predicted that by 2022 there will be 100,000 unfilled cyber security jobs in the UK alone.
“We now have state-of-the-art teaching facilities and a ready-made pipeline which directs our students into jobs.
“This process of integrating top employers with our curriculum really has been ground-breaking as far as student retention and employment success is concerned.”
Staff at the college are now seeking an industry partner to help to enrich the delivery of the course for students.
Gillian said: “The most exciting part of this initiative is that we are still really at the beginning.
“With more companies coming forward ready to collaborate and the quality of our students being praised as far away as America, we really feel the future is bright.”
Any companies who would like to forge links with the college can do so by contacting Gillian McGovern on 0300 1231010.
