These two interrelated fields are booming at the moment with strong growth predicted for years to come. Intelligence is about gathering information, checking it and turning it into something people can act on. Cyber security is about protecting information and systems. Both need curious, careful thinkers, and both have more entry points for school students than you might expect. Here are seven work experience ideas to help you explore these pathways.
Help out your school’s IT team
Your school runs on technology. Laptops, logins, printers, networks, and Wi-Fi all need looking after, usually by a small IT team. Ask whether you can spend time with them, either for a week or a few hours each term. You might help set up new devices, reset passwords or keep track of equipment. Either way you’ll start learning the processes and procedures that need to happen to protect networks and the people using them.
Spend time with a local IT support business
Many small businesses don’t have their own IT staff. Instead, they pay a local company to keep their computers running and their data safe. Getting a placement with one of these IT businesses will teach you how security works in the real world, when budgets are tight and every client has different needs. You could also get to see how they respond if or when something goes wrong.
Search for IT support or managed IT services in your area, then get in touch directly, and be specific about what you’d like to learn. A message saying you’re interested in how they keep clients’ data safe is much easier to say yes to than a general request for work experience.
Apply for a government cyber or intelligence programme
Due to security clearance requirements, you probably won’t be able to get work experience within government organisations, but some national security agencies run programmes for school students. In Australia, the Australian Signals Directorate offers work experience programmes for Year 11 and 12 students. New Zealand’s GCSB and NZSIS have pathways for high school leavers as well as uni graduates that could be worth looking into, and Datacom has virtual work experience through The Forage. In the UK, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport runs TechFirst, which includes free courses for high school students and pathways to tertiary education and jobs. Other countries have their own versions, so check the careers or education pages of your national cyber security agency – if you can’t find anything, you could always try emailing them directly to ask about opportunities.
These programmes can be competitive, and some have citizenship or age requirements. Applications may also open months ahead. Set a reminder to check back regularly so you don’t miss your chance.
Take on capture the flag challenges
Capture the flag (CTF) cybersecurity challenges are puzzles where you hunt for a hidden piece of text, called a flag, by solving security problems. You might crack a simple code or find a clue hidden inside a file. While this isn’t technically work experience in the usual sense, taking part in these competitions builds the same problem-solving skills professionals use. It also gives you something real to talk about when you apply for placements.
One important rule: only ever test systems you have clear permission to test. CTF challenges are built for this. Real websites and networks are not, and testing them without permission is against the law in many countries.
Explore the analysis side of intelligence
Not every intelligence role involves computers. A big part of the job is research: collecting information from different sources, checking whether it can be trusted and explaining what it means in plain language.
You could grow these skills in lots of places. A local newspaper might let you help with research or fact-checking. A library or museum may need help sorting records. Debating helps too, because you learn to test evidence and explain your point in lots of different ways. If you enjoy history, languages or geography, keep going with them. Understanding a place’s people and culture can matter just as much as understanding its data.
Talk to a fraud or risk team
Australians alone reported total scam losses of $2.18 billion in 2025. Banks, insurers, and large retailers all have teams that watch for unusual activity. Picture a credit card being used in two countries within the same hour, or hundreds of failed login attempts on one account; someone needs to notice these patterns and decide what to do next. That work sits right between cyber security and intelligence.
Because these teams handle private customer information, you probably won’t see live cases. Many large organisations do run open days or information sessions, though. And you can always ask whether you could speak to someone in fraud, risk or security about what their week looks like.
Help people stay safe online
Plenty of people find it hard to spot a scam message or set up a strong password. Explaining two-step login to someone who has never used it is harder than it sounds. It teaches you to communicate clearly, and that matters in security. When something goes wrong, the people who can calmly explain what happened are just as valuable as the people fixing it.
Libraries and community centres sometimes run sessions to build digital skills, and they may welcome a patient volunteer (great for your resume and human skill building not just for cyber security and intelligence pathways).
Building experience across different areas
Each idea shows you a different part of the field. IT support could teach you how systems work. CTF challenges could sharpen your problem-solving. Research and volunteering could build the communication skills you’ll need to share what you find. Trying two or three can help you work out whether you’re drawn to the technical side, the analysis side or somewhere in between. Some roles, especially in national security, need formal study and security checks later on. Others, like volunteering or CTFs, you can start this week.
Ready to find your placement?
Do a little research and take the first step by reaching out to relevant organisations. Email your school’s IT team, sign up for a CTF, or look up your national cyber security agency’s student programmes. For more ideas and tips on applying, head to our work experience hub. You can also explore our Job Spotlights to learn more about specific roles.
