Cybersecurity Engineer
From computer fundamentals to a job-ready cybersecurity engineer. Build your own home lab, train live, and graduate with a British certificate. No prior experience required.
- 6 months
- 408 total hours
- Live
- Small capped cohort
Not ready to enrol? and our team will reach out.
Live every session
Never recorded. Never self-paced.
Small capped cohort
Limited places, kept personal.
Fits your job
Morning, evening, or weekend slots.
British certificate
UKPRN 10101097. Verifiable online.
Pay monthly or in full
Small registration holds your seat.
At a glance
Duration
6 months
Cohort size
Small, focused group
Delivery
Live, instructor-led
Live time each week
7 hours (plus self-study)
Level
Beginner to Job-Ready
Cohort status
Enrolling now
Delivery model: 2 weekday sessions (2 hours each) plus 1 weekend session (3 hours) = 7 hours per week of live, instructor-led teaching.
Overview
A career bootcamp that takes you from foundations to job-ready cyber defence. Delivered live in cohorts of no more than ten, around your existing job, by practitioners working in the field. Graduate with a British certificate you can verify online.
Your journey
From foundations to job-ready
Six months, one clear path, built one stage at a time.
- 1Foundations
- 2Networking
- 3Security
- 4Cloud
- 5SecOps
- 6Job ready
Curriculum
What you will learn, month by month
Six months of live teaching and guided labs, building from computer basics to a job-ready security engineer.
01Month 01Start from zeroIT and Hardware Foundations
We start at the very beginning. Before you can secure a system, you need to understand how it works. This month builds real confidence with computer hardware, operating systems, and the command line. Along the way you will set up your own home lab to practise in safely.
What you will learn
- How a computer works: hardware, CPU, memory, storage
- Windows and Linux operating systems, inside and out
- The command line on both Windows and Linux
- Users, groups, permissions, and file systems
- Virtualisation, and how to set up your own home lab to practise in
Hands-on labs
- Set up your own home lab with virtual machines
- Install Windows and Linux and take snapshots
- Navigate Linux and Windows from the command line
- Write your first script to automate a task
Aligned with CompTIA ITF+ and A+ foundations
02Month 02Build the baseNetworking and Active Directory
Security is built on networks and on identity. This month teaches how networks work from the ground up, and introduces Windows Active Directory, the system that runs identity in almost every organisation. You practise on your own home lab network.
What you will learn
- How networks work: the OSI model, TCP/IP, IP addressing
- Protocols and ports, DNS, DHCP, and what normal traffic looks like
- Routers, switches, firewalls, VLANs, and segmentation
- Windows Active Directory basics: domains, users, groups, policies
- How to capture and read network traffic
Hands-on labs
- Connect your home lab machines into a network
- Set up a basic Windows Active Directory in your lab
- Capture and analyse live traffic with Wireshark
- Scan a network with Nmap and read the results
Aligned with CompTIA Network+ foundations
03Month 03Core Security+Security Foundations
Now you have the base to understand security properly. This is the most important month. It builds the full breadth of security knowledge that CompTIA Security+ covers and that every employer expects.
What you will learn
- Threats, attacks, and attackers: malware, phishing, social engineering
- Cryptography and PKI: encryption, hashing, digital certificates
- Access control and identity: authentication, MFA, least privilege
- Risk, governance, and security frameworks
- Common vulnerabilities and how to mitigate them
Hands-on labs
- Run a phishing attack and its defences in a safe lab
- Encrypt, hash, and verify data, and inspect a certificate
- Configure access control and multi-factor authentication
- Carry out a basic risk assessment
Aligned with CompTIA Security+ (the core certification this prepares you for)
04Month 04Go to the cloudIdentity, Cloud and Endpoint Security
With strong foundations in place, you move into the cloud and modern device management, where most security work happens today. Identity is the new perimeter, so you secure identities, cloud infrastructure, and endpoints using the industry-standard tools employers ask for.
What you will learn
- Cloud security fundamentals and the shared responsibility model
- Securing identity with Entra ID, Conditional Access, MFA, and PIM
- Hardening cloud infrastructure: networks, secrets, and storage
- Endpoint management and security with Microsoft Intune
- Endpoint detection and response with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Hands-on labs
- Build Conditional Access policies and configure PIM
- Secure a cloud network and store secrets in a key vault
- Manage and secure devices with Microsoft Intune
- Onboard a device to Defender for Endpoint and review threats
Aligned with Microsoft AZ-500 foundations
05Month 05Get operationalSecurity Operations and Threat Protection
This month makes you operational. You learn the tools and frameworks a working security engineer uses every day: SIEM, vulnerability management, data protection, threat hunting, and incident response. Industry-standard tools, universal frameworks.
What you will learn
- Security operations and SIEM with Microsoft Sentinel and KQL
- Vulnerability management: scanning, prioritising, and remediating
- Data loss prevention with Microsoft Purview
- Email and phishing protection with Defender for Office 365
- Threat hunting, MITRE ATT&CK, and the incident response lifecycle
Hands-on labs
- Set up a SIEM workspace and write detections in KQL
- Run a vulnerability scan and prioritise the findings
- Build a data loss prevention policy
- Run a threat hunt, map it to MITRE ATT&CK, and respond to an incident
Aligned with Microsoft SC-200 foundations
06Month 06Job readyCapstone, Exam Prep and Career Launch
The final month brings everything together. You complete a capstone that proves end-to-end capability, prepare thoroughly for the CompTIA Security+ exam, and launch your job search with full career support.
What you will learn
- Design and present a complete security solution (capstone)
- Full CompTIA Security+ revision and timed mock exams
- Build a portfolio from your capstone and labs
- Get your CV and LinkedIn profile reviewed
- Practise with technical and competency-based mock interviews
Hands-on labs
- Design and present a complete security solution for a fictional organisation, covering network and identity design, hardened systems and endpoints, cloud security, monitoring, and an incident response plan
- Reviewed and signed off by a senior practitioner, it becomes the centrepiece of your portfolio
Aligned with CompTIA Security+ exam readiness
Your week
Designed around your job
Two short weekday sessions and one weekend session. Live, every week.
2 weekday sessions
2 hours each, morning or evening
1 weekend session
3 hours
Total
7 hours of live instruction per week
What you will be able to do
- Build and defend secure network architectures
- Run a Security Operations Centre workflow end to end
- Investigate and respond to live incidents
- Produce an employer-ready portfolio of practical work
Learning Hours
408 total learning hours
A substantial programme. Live instruction, guided labs, self-study, and a capstone, aligned with Level 4 practitioner outcomes.
168
Live instruction hours
7 hours per week, every week, live
120
Guided lab hours
Hands-on practice in real tools
78
Self-study hours
Reading, preparation, and review
42
Capstone and assessment
Project work and practical sign-off
Total Learning Time
408 hours
Aligned with
Level 4 practitioner outcomes
UK RQF reference. Not a regulated qualification.
Tools
Hands-on with the tools employers use
- VMware
- Linux
- Wireshark
- Nmap
- Active Directory
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Microsoft Intune
- Defender for Endpoint
- Microsoft Sentinel
- Microsoft Purview
- Defender for Office 365
- Kali Linux
- MITRE ATT&CK
Tools are shown for reference and does not imply endorsement or partnership.
Career outcomes
Where this takes you
- SOC Analyst (entry)£28,000 to £40,000
- Security Analyst£32,000 to £45,000
- Junior Security Engineer£35,000 to £48,000
- Identity and Access Engineer£40,000 to £55,000
- Cybersecurity Engineer£45,000 to £65,000
- Security Operations Engineer£45,000 to £60,000
Cybersecurity is one of the UK's fastest growing, best paid tech fields.
Salary ranges are indicative market figures, not a guarantee. Actual pay depends on employer, location, and experience.
Certificate
A British certificate that travels
Issued by a UK-registered company and verifiable by any employer, anywhere.
Xcademia Certified Cybersecurity Engineer
Verifiable at xcademia.com/verify
Xcademia Ltd
UKPRN 10101097
London
Authorised signature
- Verify it online anytime with a unique link
- British-issued and employer-ready
- Add it to your LinkedIn profile and CV
Aligned with
This programme is aligned with the following industry standards and certifications. You receive a British certificate from Xcademia, a UK registered learning provider (UKPRN 10101097).
- CompTIA Security+ aligned
- SOC analyst track
- Hands-on labs
Xcademia training is aligned with and prepares you for these certifications. CompTIA and Microsoft are independent certification bodies. Xcademia is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Certification exams are booked and funded separately by the learner.
Investment
Pay monthly
$899/mo
$449 registration secures your seat and holds your place while the batch forms. Then pay $899 before each month. No lock-in beyond the current month.
Pay in full
$5,394
Pay the full course today and the $449 registration is waived. One payment covers the whole programme, with nothing more to pay each month.
Prices shown in USD for United States, based on your location. On the monthly plan the registration fee is additional to the figures above and is refunded only if the batch never runs. It is waived when you pay in full.
Career+
Go beyond the certificate with one month of focused career support after your bootcamp, when the job search actually happens.
After weeks of coaching and interview practice, you are ready to start applying, and you will not be doing it alone. Our team supports you through the job search: refining your CV, preparing you for real interviews, and keeping you accountable while you go after roles. We cannot promise an offer, but we make sure you walk into every interview as prepared as you can be.
- Job Search Group, during your support month
- Live Interview Support, during your support month
- Technical and Soft Skills Interview Prep, during your support month
- Plus 1 more, see the full breakdown.
$1,299
$1,049
Launch offer
You can join the bootcamp without it.
Ways to book
Three ways to join
Open Batch
Join a forming cohort. Pick your slot. Pay your first month to confirm. Batches form on a rolling basis.
Private Batch
Bring your team. Your organisation only, on a single invoice.
Bespoke Programme
Universities, NHS, government, large employers. Custom curriculum. RM6219 Direct Award eligible.
FAQ
Common questions
Do I need any experience?
No. We start from the very beginning, with computer and hardware foundations, and take you to job-ready. No IT or cybersecurity background is needed.
How much time does it take each week?
Seven hours of live instruction: two weekday sessions of two hours and one weekend session of three hours. Plus guided home labs and self-study, around fifteen hours a week in total.
What is the registration fee for?
It secures your seat and holds your place while your batch forms. It is a one-time, non-refundable fee, separate from your course payments. If your batch never runs, it is refunded in full or moved to another batch.
Is it recorded?
No. Every session is live with your trainer. Live is how you learn best and how you stay part of a cohort, not an audience.
Which certification does it prepare me for?
The core certification is CompTIA Security+, the one employers ask for most. You also get hands-on foundations in Microsoft AZ-500 and SC-200. Exams are booked and funded separately by you.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes. You graduate as an Xcademia Certified Cybersecurity Engineer, verifiable online at xcademia.com/verify, issued by a UK-registered company.
Can my employer pay?
Yes. We can invoice your company directly with a purchase order. Some UK employers may be eligible to contribute under the Government Skills Bootcamps route.
Ready to join the next cohort?
Cohorts are kept small and focused so every learner gets live instructor time. Pay $449 registration to confirm your seat, or arrange a private batch for your team.
Xcademia Ltd. Company No. 12322710 · UKPRN 10101097