IBM to provide platform for flagship cyber skills programme for girls

Date:
Mon, 24 Mar 2025 11:01:32 +0000

Description:
Tech giant IBM has backed plans to encourage young British girls into cyber careers.

FULL STORY ======================================================================IBM is partnering with CyberFirst girls competition Tech giant will provide the online platform for 2025 This aims to help bridge the cybersecurity skills
gap

A new project backed by IBM in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), and the National Security Centre is sponsoring a UK-wide programme for girls aged 12 and 13 to boost interest in cyber careers.

Currently run by the NCSC, CyberFirst Girls has already had over 85,000 student participants since its launch in 2017.

Students face a set of challenges from cryptography and networking to artificial intelligence, and the aim is to build their skills and nurturing talent to encourage girls to take up careers in the field. A gender gap

The UKs cyber sector needs more diversity, as currently women account for
just 17% of the cyber workforce. Although the industry is growing, and
average salaries exceed 56,000, the industry struggles to meet the quickly evolving skills needed.

By partnering with IBM to deliver the next edition of the CyberFirst Girls Competition, were 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, said Feryal Clark, Minister for Cyber Security.

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 Ill be proudly cheering the team on today as they head to Dublin for their first international competition.

Research shows the UKs cyber sector could be worth up to 12 billion , but the industry still faces a significant skills gap, which is leaving the sector vulnerable to attacks, breaches, and disruptions.

New investments into cybersecurity at all levels aim to counter the rising threat of cyberattacks and bolster the UKs defences. You might also like New tech skills projects aim to boost UK cyber defenses Check out our choice for best antivirus software "I have nothing to hide" - our readers react to Apple getting secret hearing in appeal against UK government



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/ibm-to-provide-platform-for-flagship-cy ber-skills-programme-for-girls


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