Total Access Communication (DTAC), the country's third largest mobile operator by subscriber base, has launched a metaverse youth camp aimed at equipping high schoolers with cybersecurity and digital knowledge as cyberthreats surge.
The company is working with its parent firm Telenor Group; Cisco, a global tech giant; and the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) to present Young Safe Internet Leaders Cyber (YSLC) camp season 4 -- an online youth camp project aimed at levelling up digital skills to ensure a safe internet and fend off cyberthreats.
Cybercrime is a growing global threat and could potentially cause around US$10.5 trillion in damage by 2025, according to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
On-uma Rerkpattanapipat, head of corporate communications and sustainability at DTAC, said the project is powered by Cisco's Networking Academy programme, which offers real-world case studies on cyber-attacks, phishing attacks, identity thefts, and the infrastructure of cyber-attacks.
In addition, ETDA has ushered in its Digital Citizen online curriculum developed based on the framework of the DQ Institute, which is an international think tank dedicated to setting global standards for digital intelligence.
This year's programme is designed in the form of the metaverse.
"YSLC will offer the youth an opportunity to learn about cybersecurity and how to stay safe and vigilant in the digital world, as well as experiment in a fun metaverse cybersecurity sandbox," said Ms On-uma.
All participants will create their own virtual avatars and enjoy a wide range of immersive activities, she said.
There are three key parts of the camp.
The first concerns a boot camp that provides a digital upskilling course from ETDA and Cisco to boost participants' digital intelligence quotient (DQ) and introduce global cybersecurity challenges in 2022.
The second involves a studio lab where participants can engage in a series of cybersecurity workshops. The last part is a project incubation session where campers will learn the process of forming a startup, from team matching and design thinking to pitching on a mini-demo day.
Meetham Na Ranong, deputy executive director of ETDA, said participants can apply the knowledge they learn to the real world while boosting important leadership skills through participation in the programme.
The programme provides a peek into the future, letting campers see what's in store when it comes to digital career paths, he said.
High school students interested in joining the camp can submit their application until April 16 via https://www.safeinternetlab.com/challenge/camp.
