Campbell College Belfast became the centre of the UK and Ireland’s cyber security community on Saturday as it proudly hosted the first-ever Hack The Isles Grand Final in conjunction with local company CyberSpark Group NI —an innovative competition designed to inspire and accelerate young people into careers within the rapidly expanding cyber industry, particularly here in Northern Ireland.
The event marked the culmination of a journey that began in September 2025, attracting over 500 students from schools and universities across Northern Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. After months of challenges and regional bootcamps, eight finalist teams—supported by expert industry mentors—competed in a high pressure, real world cyber simulation in Campbell College’s Central Hall.
Among the competitors were Campbell College’s own students, representing Northern Ireland and proudly standing as the youngest participants in the entire competition. Their impressive performance earned them a 4th place finish, a remarkable achievement on a national stage.
Year 13 student Charles Yim described the experience as “a unique insight into the world of Cyber Security and a possible career path I had never fully considered before.” He and his teammates from Campbell College plan to continue developing their skills on the CybExer platform as they prepare for next year’s bootcamps and challenges.
A High Tech Challenge Set Against a Historic Backdrop
The Grand Final—organised by Belfast based CyberSpark Ltd in partnership with CybExer Technologies—gave participants access to a cutting edge virtual model of the Greater Belfast Area, where they were tasked with identifying and neutralising simulated cyber attacks.
Real-time visual progress was displayed on large media screens, enabling the audience to follow colour coded threat levels, system breaches, and team responses throughout the day.
The competition blended modern digital defence with Campbell College’s historic setting. Competitors operated in the atmospheric Central Hall, surrounded by portraits of former pupils who lost their lives in wartime events—drawing an evocative connection between past and present forms of national defence.
The event was also supported by local companies ApertureNI and AXL Audiovisual Ltd, who helped transform the hall into an immersive cyber operations environment.
Collaboration, Problem-Solving and Real-World Skills
Throughout the day, teams demonstrated advanced communication, rapid decision making, and sophisticated problem-solving under pressure—skills that reflect the demands of real-world cyber operations and the needs of Northern Ireland’s fast growing cyber security sector.
The event was expertly compered by Will Leitch, Fiona Macintyre and Jack Lamont who guided the audience through live updates, interviews, and expert insights.
Industry Leaders and International Guests in Attendance
The competition concluded with a formal dinner attended by representatives from universities across the UK and Ireland, senior industry professionals, Peter Leitch of the UK Cyber Security Council, as well as international dignitaries including Estonia’s Ambassador to Ireland, Kairi Künka.