What is Cyber Security Challenge UK?

Cyber Security Challenge UK runs a series of exciting national competitions aimed at raising awareness of cyber security careers and encouraging more talented people to join the profession. The Challenge is sponsored by some of the UK’s leading security and government organisations and prizes include over £100,000 worth of educational prizes including paid internships and training courses.

Can I get involved?

Anyone aged 16+ living in the UK can register to take part in the competitions, which are designed for individuals with some knowledge of online networks, but with no professional experience in cyber security.

What skills do you need to work in cyber security?

People working in cyber security use a broad range of skills every day in order to protect online networks. Challenge competitions are designed to test technical and practical skills used in real-life cyber security jobs, to give the best idea of what these careers are like. These skills include team work, the ability to make decisions under pressure and communicating risks to people around you.

Where do cyber security professionals work?

Cyber security is important to a range of organisations in order to protect the work they do, including personal details of customers and ideas for new products. The Cyber Security Challenge is sponsored by a wide variety of organisations, each understanding the importance of encouraging more people into these careers. They include: PwC, Cassidian, HP, BT and GCHQ – the UK Government Communications Headquarters.

Each competition is designed by experts working for these sponsors and face-to-face competition finals are often held at their headquarters.

Cyber Security Challenge UK is not only focused on running competitions – organisers have created an online careers hub to provide information for students interested in learning opportunities or careers in cyber security.

Can you Talk Security?

The latest competition sees the Challenge partner with BT and Get Safe Online to launch an exciting competition called ‘Can You Talk Security?’ where students are invited to propose innovative ways to help small businesses understand cyber security threats and effective ways to secure themselves. This is a great opportunity for any creative people interested in a career in either cyber security or the communications profession generally to get involved in a national competition.

Winners will get the opportunity to work with a professional creative team to turn their concept into a national marketing campaign featured on the Get Safe Online website. There are also technical and creative training courses, work experience taster days and membership of professional bodies on offer for successful entries. All the finalists will be invited to an awards event which will be held on the revolving 34th floor of the BT Tower in London later this year.

For more details on how to enter please click here.

Visit the ‘Careers and Courses’ portal at www.cybersecuritychallenge.org.uk to watch videos of experts working in cyber security and discover answers to questions on careers and courses.