A brilliant start: My first two weeks at 2T Security – A CyberFirst Summer Placement Experience.

My CyberFirst Summer Placement experience, by Peter.W.

Starting a new placement can be daunting, but my first two weeks at 2T Security have been nothing short of a joy. From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed by the 2T family – and I don’t use the word ‘family’ lightly. The culture here is one of support, encouragement and plenty of good-humoured banter. It’s the perfect environment to learn and grow during my first CyberFirst summer placement. 

Meaningful work from day one

What has stood out most is how quickly we were trusted to work on real projects that benefit the company and its clients. Unlike university coursework, where tasks often serve only to build knowledge, our work here has a direct impact. That responsibility is both motivating and rewarding, especially as I consider my future in graduate cyber security roles. 

In my own role, I’ve been working on resurrecting a threat intelligence MS Teams bot originally built by Rhys, one of the grads. Along the way, I’ve had plenty of exposure to the networking behind Advanced Mobile Solutions, which has taught me more than I expected about servers, Cisco quirks, and even cable management (a subject of much debate between the team!).

Expanding my technical skills

One of the steepest and most valuable learning curves on my CyberFirst summer placement, has been getting to grips with Docker and containerisation. Although my degree at Warwick has given me a strong foundation in cyber security, containerisation wasn’t an area we covered in depth. Thanks to hands-on guidance from colleagues, I’ve quickly seen how powerful Docker is for creating identical, reliable environments across different platforms.  It’s a skill I know will serve me well in any future graduate cyber security career. 

As supportive and fun atmosphere

This is my first CyberFirst summer placement, and I was pleasantly surprised by the company culture. The atmosphere is relaxed, collaborative, and full of energy; a far cry from the corporate environments I’d been warned about by other placement students. At 2T Security, it’s clear that learning is encouraged and questions are always welcome. 

Even on our first afternoon, Jordan walked us through the fundamentals of IP addressing and networking. Although we covered the material faster than expected, the team’s willingness to check in and share knowledge has made an enormous difference.

That openness means I’ve been able to ask about everything from technical details to troubleshooting issues, and I always get an answer from someone with real-world experience. 

As I reflect on these first two weeks, what strikes me most is how much I’ve learned already, not just about technology, but also about working in a professional cyber security environment. I’m excited to continue developing my skills, contributing to meaningful projects, and learning from a team that is approachable as it is knowledgeable. 

Looking ahead

For anyone considering a CyberFirst placement, an internship, or exploring 2T Security careers, I can confidently say this is an excellent place to learn, grow, and genuinely enjoy the experience. Whether you’re aiming for a placement year, or looking ahead to graduate cyber security roles, 2T provides the kind of real-world experience that sets you up for success.