Cyber Security Technology Apprenticeship Level 4

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

Home Office Digital designs, builds and develops services for the rest of the department and for government. Every year our systems support up to 3 million visa applications, checks on 100 million border crossings, up to 8 million passport applications and deliver 140 million police checks on people, vehicles and property.

Are you passionate about technology and problem solving? Join us as a Cyber Security Apprentice and play a key role in protecting critical national systems from evolving threats. This Level 4 Apprenticeship offers hands-on experience, expert guidance and dedicated mentorship to help you build skills in cyber defence, risk management and security operations.

Launch your cyber security career with industry-recognised qualifications and the chance to make a real difference to national safety. Learn, grow and help secure the UK’s digital future.

Job description

As a Cyber Security Technologist Apprentice specialising as a Cyber Risk Analyst, you will learn how to identify and mitigate cyber risks that could impact Home Office systems, information and services. You will gain practical experience in risk analysis and security governance while supporting compliance activities and contributing to technical and business-focused tasks. This role offers exposure to a wide range of stakeholders and real-world challenges, helping you develop the skills needed for a successful career in cyber security.

Key Responsibilities

• Learn how to conduct risk assessments and analyse potential threats
• Support the development of risk mitigation strategies
• Assist with governance, risk and compliance activities
• Contribute to technical analysis and business-focused tasks
• Work collaboratively with a broad range of stakeholders

Working Pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis. This role is also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work [5 days / 30 hours] per week due to business requirements.

Training

We offer a tailored training package throughout the scheme, and you will be supported in your personal development.

Apprenticeship

This position includes completing a Level 4 apprenticeship, which takes around 18 months. To be eligible, you must:

• Be 16 or older (no upper age limit)
• Have lived in the UK for at least 5 years before starting
• Not be in another apprenticeship or paid education
• Work at least 30 hours per week. In exceptional circumstances, reduced hours (no less than 16 per week) may be accommodated.
• Not already hold a similar qualification at Level 4 or higher

For more details, see candidate information pack attached.

Travel

This role may involve some travel to other locations and potentially some overnight stays. Specific requirements will be discussed with successful candidates when they are allocated to a role.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• A genuine passion for pursuing a career in cyber security and public service
• Commitment to learning and self-development, with motivation to continuously improve
• Ability to apply logical and creative thinking to problem solving
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to adapt to different audiences
• Analytical skills to identify patterns, trends and anomalies in data
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and adapt to changing priorities
• Good IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

Desirable Criteria

• Some awareness of cyber risk and control frameworks
• Ability to demonstrate leadership behaviours, such as taking initiative, influencing others positively and contributing to team success

Qualifications

A-Levels grade C or above OR equivalent qualifications such as BTECs, CTEC, T-Levels, ICT Level 3 apprenticeship, OR relevant work experience such as working in a digital environment

and

GCSE Maths and English grade C or above (Level 4 in the new grading system).

Evidence of Qualifications
You must list ‘all’ your Qualifications and the Grades achieved for each subject in your CV .
If you do not provide this information, your application will not be considered and will be sifted out.
You must be able to provide evidence of your qualifications if requested. Failure to do so will result in your application not progressing to the next stage.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Risk Management - Level 2 of SFIA Framework.

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.
• See more of our benefits on our careers website.

Sign-up on our website to receive emails with information about careers at the Home Office.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

As part of the application process, you will first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.

After submission of this first stage, you will be invited to complete the followingCivil Service Verbal and Civil Service Numerical tests.

1. Online Test – by 23rd January 2026

If you successfully pass the Civil Service Verbal and Civil Service Numerical tests, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online tests or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.

Guidance for the Civil Service test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The online tests are accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.

You cannot complete the tests on a mobile phone or tablet.

Following successful completion of your test, you will then be asked to complete the full application form.

2. Application – by 23rd January 2026

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• CV.
• Personal Statement (maximum 500 words).

Your CV should consist of your career history, qualifications (Please list Qualifications/Subjects and relevant grades) and skills/experience, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be scored against the experience required for the role as noted within the essential criteria.

The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

3. Sift – week commencing 26th January 2026

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement and CV.

4. Interview – week commencing 2nd of March 2026

The interview will take place in person in Manchester. Travel costs will not be reimbursed.

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be Technical skills, Behaviours (as listed in the job advert) and Strength based questions.

For Guidance on the Technical skills, please refer to the SFIA 9 framework Risk management — English.

In addition, candidates will be asked to prepare a presentation that will be delivered at interview. The presentation question/scenario will be disclosed closer to the interviews.

The presentation will be assessed against 'Behaviours' on the 'Success Profiles' and will be specifically assessed against the Behaviour Communicating and Influencing. In addition it will be assessed against the Technical Skills as listed in the job advertisement as per SFIA framework, Risk management — English.

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints, we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.

Problems during the application process

If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.

Do not create or attempt to submit another application, online test or use a different Civil Service Jobs account to proceed as this would be in violation of the candidate declaration.

Further Information

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct.

If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.

Candidates judged to be a near miss at interview may be offered a post at the grade below the one advertised without the need to go through a further selection process, providing the role has the same Success Profiles elements and essential skills. There is no guarantee that further such vacancies will arise

Standards

All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Additional Security Checks

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. The level of Criminal Record Check required for this role is Basic Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.

Non-Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV)

You should currently hold, or be willing to obtain, Non-Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV) Level-3 vetting (including financial checks). This is essential for the role. For further information visit About the Police National Vetting Service , Warwickshire Police.

Formal offers of employment will not be made until successful candidates have obtained both NSV clearance and NPPV3 clearance. Failure to obtain either of these clearances will result in the candidate being deemed unsuitable for the role.

For existing Civil Servants: Please note that failure to obtain NPPV3 Clearance may trigger a formal review of your National Security Vetting Clearance (NSV). Depending on the nature of the information identified, this could result in your NSV being revoked.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs

• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Home Office Resourcing Centre (HORC)
• Email : horccampaignteamhsgpsgandmbg@homeoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service recruitment principles and you wish to make a complaint, then contact the Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

HO Digital Apprenticeships candidate pack - Cyber Security Opens in new window (pdf, 1213kB)2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)Home Office Candidate_Information_v15_DECEMBER_2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 429kB)