Schools from across Bristol and the West of England will battle it out tomorrow to become the regional champion in a new competition aimed at encouraging more women and girls into cyber security jobs.
The top-performing schools that took part in a recent NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre) CyberFirst competition for 13-year-old girls have been invited to go head to head in the inaugural independent regional final hosted by UWE. 
The university is one of the lead partners of competition organisers Do Cyber, a group that brings together cyber representatives from employers, professional bodies, delivery partners, education providers and academia from across the region to help create, raise awareness and deliver more cyber opportunities to young people in order to help fulfil skills gaps and meet future skills needs.
Teams made up of four girls will spend two hours completing a series of interactive and gamified challenges through the browser-based platform, while being directed by members of their content team. The winners will be decided by Immersive Labs, the Bristol-based firm that has produced the world’s most advanced cyber skills development platform and has created the competition content.
The firm’s relationships & community Manager Jack Jordan-Connelly said: “Immersive Labs is proud to be part of the Do Cyber initiative. Increasing diversity within cyber security is a core value of ours and we’re more than glad to provide these young girls with the opportunity to both understand the wide variety of roles available to them within cyber and to prove themselves in friendly competition.”
UWE pro vice-chancellor and executive dean of the Faculty of Environment and Technology Paul Olomolaiye said: “Our vision and efforts are focused on reinforcing our status as the leading centre of excellence for cyber security education. That females across the region can, and should, lead the transformation of cyber security architecture for a safer society is our ambition and we are fully committed to collaborate with Do Cyber to achieve this.”
UWE vice-chancellor Prof Steve West will announce the winning teams on the day.
Other organisations backing Do Cyber in the region include Bristol and Bath Cyber, aerospace group Leonardo UK, South West Police Regional Cyber Crime Unit, High Tech Bristol and Bath, Graphic Science, Cyber Security Challenge UK and Weston College.
