Milngavie pupils hope to be crowned champs in all-female cyber security final

They will join fellow finalists from 11 other state schools at the Scottish final of the annual CyberFirst Girls Competition which is run by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ.

Taking place virtually, the final will see pupils work in teams to tackle cyber-related puzzles covering topics from networking and AI to cryptography and logic in a bid to score the most points and be named CyberFirst champions.

The 2022 competition has a new format aimed at encouraging new entrants from every part of the UK, with 13 finals taking place this week.

Now in its sixth year, the CyberFirst Girls Competition aims to inspire girls aged 12 to 13 to consider pursuing careers in cyber security. Female representation in the sector is low, with women accounting for just 16% of the UK’s cyber workforce.

Chris Ensor, NCSC Deputy Director for Cyber Growth, said: “Best of luck to all the girls taking part in this year’s final of the CyberFirst Girls Competition in Scotland – it’s a fantastic achievement and they are great cyber ambassadors for the country.

“The UK’s growing cyber security industry needs more female representation so it’s great to see thousands of girls taking part in the competition, many for the first time.

“I thank schools and industry for their work helping us uncover new cyber talent and I hope for many of the girls this will be just the start of their interest in this area.”

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “Cyber security is essential to protecting the services we rely on day-to-day, from personal data to our banking systems, and even the power that comes into our homes.

“We want to see more women working in this crucial industry, so I was delighted to see so many schools competing in this year’s CyberFirst Girls Competition, which is a fantastic introduction to the career possibilities in this field.

“My very best wishes to all participants taking part in this first Scottish final, and to all the parents, carers and teachers who have supported them in making it this far.”