Peterborough teenage girls can help protect nation against cyber attacks

The CyberFirst Girls Competition, set up by GCHQ’s new National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), is an important step to knock down barriers preventing women from joining the fight against online crime.

Only 10 per cent of the global cyber workforce are female, meaning millions of British women may be missing out on a career they could excel in.

Girls aged 13-15 can enter the competition in teams of four, plus a teacher who will act as a guardian and mentor.

The pupils will be put through a series of challenges to test their cyber security skills against young women from all over the UK, with the top 10 teams progressing to a national final in London in March.

GCHQ Director Robert Hannigan said: “I work alongside some truly brilliant women who help protect the UK from all manner of online threats.

“The CyberFirst Girls Competition allows teams of young women a glimpse of this exciting world and provides a great opportunity to use new skills.

“My advice to all potential applicants would be enjoy the experience and I look forward to meeting some of you.”

The victorious contestants will take home individual prizes and their school will receive IT equipment to the value of £1,000.

There will be hints and tips available to help the students through the online phase and a teacher’s guide to help make the most of the competition.

The Government is fully committed to defending against cyber threats and address the cyber skills gap to develop and grow talent. A five year National Cyber Security Strategy (NCSS) was announced in November 2016, supported by £1.9billion of transformational investment.

The new NCSC will provide a single, central body for cyber security at a national level. It will manage national cyber security incidents, carry out real-time threat analysis and provide tailored sectoral advice.

Alison, who is a deputy director at the NCSC, said:

“Women can, and do, make a huge difference in cyber security – this competition could inspire many more to take their first steps into this dynamic and rewarding career.

“Having worked in cyber security for over a decade, it is a line of work I would strongly recommend to anybody, and one where lots more women could make a really positive impact on the world.

“It’s a fantastic career choice where team work, ingenuity and creative thinking are highly valued attributes and the rewards can be substantial.”

Team Guardians can pre-register their interest from 18 January where downloads to a teacher’s pack, T&Cs and Q&As can be found at www.ncsc.gov.uk/events/cyberfirst-girls-competition. Teams will then be invited to the competition website for full registration from 13 February.