Ben Walsham had always been interested in tech, but unsure how to enter the field.
During the pandemic, he was working in the Lloyds Back Office in Andover when, in an effort to upskill existing staff, this apprenticeship was advertised.
“There was massive interest: 470 of us applied and 3 were hired.” Ben chose the Level 4 Cyber Security Technologist Apprenticeship because “it’s a growing field, with lots of prospects” and he didn’t need specialised knowledge to apply.
His favourite part of the course? There are many!
“The certifications, definitely, the courses (Ben took Intro to Cyber, Network+, Security+, Certified Network Defender, Python), and the experience of studying at Wyboston,” which allowed him to engage with instructors and peers in person rather than online, which Ben missed during the lockdown. His Firebrand Learning Mentor, Eben, “was very friendly and supportive,” putting him at ease and providing good feedback on projects, which was very important.
Ben’s cohort is the first to go through the End Point Assessment for this apprenticeship; this will start next month, in February. After this, Ben plans to graduate early and either do another apprenticeship at a higher level or progress to a more senior role. Of course, Ben couldn’t have done it without the support of his Line Manager, Elizabeth Irvine – “She’s so busy but is the first to put her hand up and help us with all we need; she made sure I was able to manage my duties and studying without being overloaded.”
“Since starting his apprenticeship in March 2021, Ben has become integral to our Digital Cyber Security engineering team.
His positive work ethic, ability to learn on and off the job, and his passion for the field is something to be admired,” Elizabeth said.
“Ben’s curious mindset drives a consistent throughput of new ideas, and he is responsible for key deliverables within the team. Ben performs well under pressure; is a trusted member of the team; and I believe his journey through the apprenticeship programme has given him the confidence to fully develop in his role. Ben is a future leader of our organisation, and his apprenticeship has been the perfect first step on this journey. He is a pleasure to work with and I am looking forward to supporting Ben through End Point Assessment and developing in his career.”
Good luck on your EPA!