My Placement Experience
- Shone Pious
- Sep 7
- 2 min read
In this blog:
My experience on placement at the NHSBSA.
My Cyber Security Placement at NHSBSA
Looking back on my year-long placement at NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), I’m proud of the impact I made and the lessons I learned along the way. It was my first step into the professional world of cyber security, and the experience has shaped both my technical skills and my confidence as an analyst.
When I first secured the placement, it felt like the reward for months of preparation and persistence. Tailoring my applications to highlight my technical skills and passion for cyber security paid off, and receiving the offer was an exciting milestone. At the same time, I knew this would be a huge step up — a chance to turn classroom learning into real-world impact.
The first weeks were a steep learning curve. I had to get to grips with the organisation’s structure, processes, and technical environment. Thankfully, the team around me was welcoming and patient, which gave me the space to grow into the role. Soon enough, I was contributing meaningfully to live security operations.
Over the year, my workload was both varied and rewarding. I monitored risky sign-ins, enterprise app usage, and threat protection status across thousands of users. I built automated workflows in Microsoft Sentinel using KQL and PowerShell, cutting investigation and reporting times significantly. Running vulnerability scans in Qualys and Tenable, and managing the databases behind them, helped reduce risk exposure and improved the organisation’s Microsoft Secure Score by over 15%.
My responsibilities also went beyond purely technical work. I took part in DSPT CAF and DCB audits, gathering evidence, drafting narratives, and remediating misconfigurations to ensure compliance. I delivered weekly Power BI dashboards for senior leadership, giving clear visibility of threats and incidents across a 10,000+ user base. These tasks sharpened my communication and problem-solving skills just as much as my technical ones.
One of my proudest moments was taking ownership of projects that had a lasting impact. For example, developing a policy drift indicator and automating reporting workflows not only improved efficiency but also boosted my confidence in delivering independent work. Beyond NHSBSA, I also mentored students as a Cyber Security Lab Demonstrator at MMU, which reinforced the value of teamwork and clear communication.
This placement pushed me out of my comfort zone, taught me to manage time effectively under pressure, and gave me the resilience to handle challenges head-on. Most importantly, it confirmed that cyber security is where I want to build my career.
I’m deeply grateful to my colleagues and mentors at the NHSBSA for their guidance and support throughout this journey. I’m leaving the placement with stronger skills, valuable experiences, and a clearer sense of direction. Now, as I return to university for my final year, I’m excited to carry these lessons forward into the next stage of my career.
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