Technology company IBM have partnered with the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), to provide the online platform for the CyberFirst Girls competition.
The CyberFirst Girls competition is a UK-wide programme open to girls between the ages of 12 and 13 and is the UK’s flagship cyber security programme for schools, with more than 85,000 students across the country having taken part since its launch in 2017.
The competition puts students through a series of cyber challenges from cryptography and networking to artificial intelligence, building up their skills and encouraging them to consider future careers in the field.
Currently women make up only 17 per cent of the cyber workforce and 44 per cent of UK businesses report having cyber security skills gaps.
Minister for cyber security Feryal Clark said: "If we’re going to keep the UK safe from the threats we face online, then we need to build a diverse workforce which is reflective of every community in the country.
"By partnering with IBM to deliver the next edition of the CyberFirst Girls Competition, we’re driving forward our plans to do exactly that – building up the skills of young girls across the country and nurturing the next generation of UK cyber leaders.
"The girls who will benefit from this support could even go on to represent the UK Cyber Team – the cream of the crop of British cyber talent who will fly the flag for us across the world - and I’ll be proudly cheering the team on today as they head to Dublin for their first international competition."
Chris Ensor, NCSC deputy director for Cyber Growth, said: "Over the past decade, the CyberFirst Girls Competition has offered tens of thousands of young women a fun opportunity to test their cyber skills against real-world cyber problems.
"I’m delighted that a new partnership across government and the private sector will be taking forward the delivery of this vital initiative which is inspiring the next generation of cyber security professionals."
"We need a cyber industry which reflects our diverse society and encourages the most talented individuals to keep our digital lives secure."
