Working for the National Cyber Force (NCF) – case studies
Discover career stories from around the National Cyber Force.
Daniel, NCF cyber operations
Daniel gained IT skills in the workplace before obtaining a degree in ethical hacking as a mature student. Upon graduating he joined GCHQ and then made the move into NCF.
What is your role in the National Cyber Force?
I work as a security specialist within NCF operations. It is my role is to work with colleagues and partners to gather intelligence to support operations. The work is incredibly interesting, challenging and requires us to stay on top of the latest developments in our respective fields.
What is it like to work in the National Cyber Force?
We’re given a lot of time to develop new skills and the latitude to approach problems in whichever way we think makes the most sense. The people here are diverse, driven and welcoming; it’s a great team and I’m proud to be a part of it.
Any tips you can share for people interested in a cyber focussed career?
Check out TechFirst a government-backed outreach and education programme designed to create opportunities for talented young people in future-focused tech careers.
Ellie, National Cyber Force Outreach Team
Ellie’s interest in working for the intelligence community was sparked during a visit from GCHQ to her school. This led to her decision to include two STEM subjects at A Level and complete a 12-month computing course before applying to the GCHQ Apprenticeship scheme.
What motivated you to apply to work for the National Cyber Force?
My final placement on the GCHQ apprenticeship led me to the National Cyber Force, and I applied to join for my first permanent position. It’s a fascinating area of work and offers a wide variety of roles, from hands on work, to more strategic elements, and the chance to work with a variety of organisations, all contributing to national security.
What do you like most about working for the National Cyber Force?
Being part of this mission makes me feel proud. It also offers me further opportunities to utilise my STEM skills and experience, including work on outreach programmes with schools, getting involved in initiatives like Women in Engineering, Science and Technology festivals and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives.
There are so many opportunities for personal growth through leadership development programmes - I’m excited for what the future has in store as I continue to develop my career in the National Cyber Force.
Derek, leads a team of developers in NCF
Derek made the move to NCF from Dstl. Although he had run small companies, worked in the defence industry and academia, Derek had limited cyber domain experience with no formal cyber training. He opted for a career change in his 50s.
You don’t have formal cyber qualifications. Has this been a barrier in your NCF role?
I didn’t have much experience of working in the cyber domain before I joined NCF, but I’ve been able to fulfil my full potential because NCF invested in my technical education with targeted training that complemented the skills I already had.
What do you enjoy about working in the National Cyber Force?
It is safe to say that my younger self wouldn’t have imagined that I’d have ended up with an incredible job that gives me immense personal satisfaction. Working with amazing people on challenging tasks that directly contribute to the nation’s security and military capability.
It’s a great place to work. Nothing in my previous working life gave me the fulfilment that I get from working on my current projects. I’m very happy with my decision to work here.
What do you value about working for the National Cyber Force?
What really stands out to me is NCF’s understanding of the value of a diverse workforce with a wide range of life experiences. Bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences creates an environment where innovation and creativity can flourish which ultimately achieves incredible results.
Joe, Cyberspace Specialist
Joe is a cyber space engineer who joined the RAF six years ago and is posted to the National Cyber Force.
What motivated you to pursue a posting to the National Cyber Force?
I was keen to pursue a posting to the National Cyber Force because of the partnership’s excellent reputation and the exciting and unique defence challenges it sets out.
What is your role in the National Cyber Force?
My primary role is to support military colleagues joining the National Cyber Force from their initial interview stage though to onboarding. I also support their ongoing training needs. In addition, I have an operational role which I very much enjoy.
What is it like to work in the National Cyber Force?
The National Cyber Force is considered a highly desirable and technical partnership to work for within my branch, and it has more than lived up to my expectations.
Isobel, Head of EDI for NCF
Isobel started her career as a linguist in GCHQ and spent four fascinating years in this operational role before making the move to NCF as Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead. She is now Head of EDI for the partnership.
What is your role in the National Cyber Force?
As Head of EDI for NCF, I’m required to think strategically, and take responsibility and accountability for the delivery of our EDI strategy. I also report to, guide, and work with leaders across NCF to drive forward positive changes. It’s a challenging, busy, and rewarding job, where I can see tangible change because of my team’s hard work.
What is it like to work in the National Cyber Force?
I’ve been amazed by the richness of the NCF partnership and have benefitted from the diverse perspectives our partners bring. NCF offers an unrivalled opportunity to learn how other organisations overcome challenges and approach tasks, enabling us to become more than the sum of our parts by sharing experience and best practice.
To a greater extent than anywhere else I have worked, curiosity is encouraged here, and my colleagues have consistently gone above and beyond to answer my questions in a way I can understand.
I could not have asked for a more supportive working environment; here I have the freedom to be creative and take calculated risks while knowing there’s always help available if I need it. I’ve been empowered to work at the edge of my comfort zone, which has helped me to learn, grow, and develop my career.
Olivia, NCF Global Partnership Team
Olivia joined the Ministry of Defence as a civil servant before making the move to the National Cyber Force.
What made you decide to choose a career in cyber?
My cyber journey started at university when, whilst looking for an escape from my dissertation on the American War of Independence, I took a new module on the use of cyber in modern conflicts. I was intrigued but thought this type of work was only for those with specialist computer skills and thought nothing further of it when I joined the civil service.
Within three years I found myself promoting UK cyber companies overseas and now I am developing the UK’s National Cyber Force international relations with our partners and close allies.
What is it like to work for the National Cyber Force?
The fact that I am here with no technological background demonstrates that the National Cyber Force seeks people with diverse thoughts, backgrounds and experiences. This diversity brings a ‘whole of society’ mindset to the National Cyber Force, enabling us to overcome the threats that confront us in line with the UK’s democratic values as well as our domestic and international law.
The UK is an important global nation, and with the National Cyber Force, it is also a responsible and leading cyber power.
Robert, NCF Cyber Capability Team Leader
Robert is a Captain in the Royal Navy. He joined as a Warfare Officer, progressing to become an expert in electronic warfare and specialising in navigating and directing the fight aspects of war ships. Robert has a posting with the National Cyber Force.
What is your role in the National Cyber Force?
I currently work in a team focussed on turning the nation’s requirements for cyber capabilities into viable, tangible outcomes for the UK Government. This includes tackling terrorism, preventing cyberspace being used as a platform for serious and organised crime and supporting military operations on the ground.
My role ensures the NCF’s offering is integrated as part of national level campaigns, giving the UK the strategic edge needed to remain a world-leading and responsible cyber power.
What is it like to work for the National Cyber Force?
My experience of naval warfare, the nautical environment, military telecommunications, and cyber operations give me unique insight into how the maritime domain overlaps with cyber. My posting to the National Cyber Force has meant I have had the chance to carry out four roles within the cyber domain.
These include, managing the delivery of the National Offensive Cyber Programme (a precursor to NCF) to commanding the military workforce contribution to the NCF as one of the Navy’s first cyber practitioners. A long way from building my first computer at the age of 12.
Flight Lieutenant David, NCF Training and Education team
David began his career as a teacher before joining the Royal Air Force (RAF) as an Education and Training Officer becoming an expert in training management and learning and development. His experience across the air domain ventured into logistics, policing, administration and flying training before broadening into the cyber domain. He now works in the National Cyber Force Cyber Training and Education team.
What is your role in the National Cyber Force?
I work in the National Cyber Force Cyber Training and Education team. In my role I analyse the requirements for current and future cyber roles, where I design and deliver learning solutions to train and upskill the NCF staff.
To do this I regularly meet with some of the best operators in this field to understand their requirements and turn them into tangible solutions, for current and future problems.
What is it like to work for the National Cyber Force?
For me, the NCF has been a thoroughly open and diverse organisation that has welcomed me, and anybody across the partnership that I’ve seen, with open arms. We understand the nature of a partnership and encourage new ideas, or the use of existing ideas, to keep moving forward.
We value people from all backgrounds, including non-technical backgrounds, as demonstrated in my case. For an organisation that has only been around since 2020, it feels modern, respectful, inclusive and the sense of purpose whilst I have been here, has been second to none.
The Cyber Direct Entry Scheme is another route into the National Cyber Force. Thomas and Christopher give their perspectives on the scheme and experience of working in NCF through their own stories.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) Cyber Direct Entry Scheme offers a unique opportunity to join UK Defence in specialist military cyber roles without following the traditional career pathway. Formal qualifications and training are not necessarily required.
Across their time with Defence, cyber direct entrants can expect to serve and gain experience in a variety of roles, including working within the National Cyber Force.
Thomas, Ministry of Defence Cyber Direct Entry Scheme RAF Entrant
Thomas read Computer Science at University with a focus on Software Engineering and Cyber Security. Alongside his university studies, he was part of the University Officer Training Corps (UOTC). After graduating he transferred to a local reserve unit and worked in retail for several months before starting in the RAF via Cyber Direct Entry.
Why did you decide to apply to Cyber Direct Entry?
Joining the Direct Entry scheme allowed me to combine being able to serve with being in a job where I could use my degree in Computer Science.
What is your current role in NCF?
As a Software Developer, I develop tools and capabilities for the NCF. My role allows me to work on some very interesting and impactful areas with a set of skill, that can be used in very few places.
What do you like most about working in NCF?
The constant opportunities to learn and improve your skill sets. It is also very interesting to work within a partnership because I work alongside a mix of civilian and military colleagues. I am learning a great deal from my civilian colleagues, and it is refreshing to see how we approach different problems with a range of perspectives and skills. In my team there is more emphasis on being a subject matter expert rather than rank, which I like.
What skills do you hope to develop when in NCF?
My technical and leadership skills.
Any tips for people looking to apply to the Cyber Direct Entry Scheme?
Although a background in Computer Science helps, you don’t necessarily need it because you will be taught everything you need to know however, I would recommend building your understanding of Networks, Cyber Security Principles and programming
Christopher, Ministry of Defence Cyber Direct Entry Scheme RAF Entrant
After completing a BSc in Computer Science at university, Christopher spent five years as a commercial software developer gaining experience in both frontend and backend systems before joining the RAF via Cyber Direct Entry.
Why did you decide to apply to Cyber Direct Entry?
I wanted to utilise my skillset for the national good and make it harder for adversaries to harm the UK.
What is your current role in NCF?
I am currently a Software Developer in the National Cyber Force.
What do you like most about working in NCF?
I wanted to work in NCF so I could push my technical abilities as far as they can go and receive first-class training. I enjoy gaining insight into the UK’s true capabilities and all the work which goes on behind the scenes.
What skills do you want to develop when in NCF?
My aim is to supplement my existing programming abilities with subject matter expertise in specific Operating Systems, whilst also developing my project management skills.
Any tips for people looking to apply through the Cyber Direct Entry Scheme?
Communication is just as important as technical ability; work on your public speaking and learn how to articulate complex topics. Also, stay humble.