A FORMER chief police officer turned businessman is to stage a conference and schools event this November in a bid to help Ilkley people make the best use of digital technology, forge careers and create opportunities for local business.

Stuart Hyde, a leading consultant and conference spokesman on cyber crime and internet security, has secured £1,000 of funding from Ilkley Parish Council towards the Digital Ilkley non-profit event at the Kings Hall and Winter Garden on November 1, and business sponsorship has also been secured.

He is working in conjunction with Ilkley Business Forum and Ilkley Business Network International (BNI) on the event, aimed at people of all ages in Ilkley and the surrounding communities.

Top speakers lined up include 2014 The Apprentice winner, Mark Wright, plus a former hacker turned expert on internet security.

Another feature planned is a competition for local schoolchildren to design a game.

The Digital Ilkley Primary School Challenge will see primary schools from across the Ilkley area competing to build a digital game for the younger members of their school

With a number of schools already getting involved, Years 6 students are creating a game and will present the findings at Digital Ilkley.

Another part of the event will be a Digital Careers Fair aimed at years 11,12 and 13 from local secondary schools.

The Careers Fair will include a range of experienced people from many industries, highlighting some of the benefits and challenges of working in their field. They will explain some of the difficulties and future technologies to make the whole event a worthwhile and interactive day.

Starting at 1pm the Career sFair will be supported by a range of local businesses with stalls in the Winter Gardens.

Areas being represented stand to include: nano technology, social media, web design, search engine optimisations, balancing your work and private life online,

imagery in a digital age, network management and investigation, digital forensics, and digital workplaces including legal and the justice system.

Mr Hyde said: "The Careers Fair will be part presentation, part panels and part debate to allow students the best opportunity to learn about a range of issues they might consider when considering career options. The event is supported by all career advisers in the relevant schools and we hope will help provide a range of different options to consider, even if its only to discount them."

Between 2009 and 2013, Mr Hyde worked as Deputy Chief Constable and Temporary Chief Constable of Cumbria Constabulary, he has gone on to become a member of the Europol Internet Security Board, provides consultancy services to UKs leading Digital Forensic provider as Director of Solutions, and is the Vice President of both the Society for the Policing of Cyberspace and High Tech Crime Consortium.