Take part in the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Crime Unit Cyber Switch Up competition 2025

School and college students from across the region are being urged to put their cyber skills to the test and demonstrate their computer talents as a popular competition organised by cyber policing experts returns for another year.  

Cyber Switch Up is a digital, computer and cyber skills competition aimed at students aged 11-18 years old (Key Stages 3, 4 and 5), which is open to students in all secondary schools and colleges in Yorkshire and Humberside.  

It’s organised by the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU) - a specialist police team which includes cyber crimefighters who operate across the region.  

The competition aims to:  

• Showcase the digital and cyber skills and talent of student across the Yorkshire and Humber region  
• Educate and promote digital and cyber pathways for higher and further education  
• Raise awareness of the diverse digital and cyber career pathways available to young people  
• Encourage positive and lawful cyber behaviours in young people.  

This year’s event is sponsored by Amazon Web Services (AWS).  

Organisations already on board with the competition include IBM, the Civil Aviation Authority, The British Army, BAE Systems, British Esports, Royal Air Force and more. 

Students can sign up to take part in the competition now via our website and complete the short online qualifying competition which takes place from 29 September (and closes on 26 October).  

Top performing pupils and students from KS3, 4 and 5 will then be invited to the live final event which takes place at the University of Hull on Tuesday, 25 November with a chance to win trophies and prizes for themselves and their school or college.  

Detective Inspector Richard Wallis, of the Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: “The Cyber Switch Up goes from strength to strength and is a great way for pupils and college students from across Yorkshire and Humberside to demonstrate just how good they are when they’re put to the test.  

“Last year’s event was a great success with a record number of entries taking part in the qualifying competition. This led to an unbelievably high standard of competition at our finals day in Sheffield.      

“We’re really looking forward to this year’s competition at the University of Hull where, as well as a day of competitions, we will have a variety of keynote speakers from digital and cyber industries and academia who will be sharing important information and raising awareness of the wide range of career pathways available to young people.”  

“There will also be interactive exhibition stands which will allow students and teachers to check out the latest technologies for themselves.”  

“I would urge any school and college pupils from our region to register for our online qualifier and put their skills to the test. Teachers, please encourage your students to take part - and hopefully we’ll see you in Hull for the live final.”  

For more information, please visit www.cyberswitchup.net  

Instagram - @cyberswitchup  

X - @CyberSwitchUp  

Promotional Video - https://youtu.be/CuWbZ3avDek?si=eOFksJvb-fboK-q6