IBM has announced a major new partnership with the UK government to help diversify the country’s booming cyber security sector and encourage more young people—particularly girls—into careers in cyber.
The collaboration will see IBM provide the online platform for the 2025 edition of the CyberFirst Girls Competition, the UK’s leading cyber security programme for school-aged girls. Open to girls aged 12 and 13, the competition aims to spark early interest in technology and digital defence, while building skills in everything from cryptography and AI to networking.
Launched by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in 2017, the CyberFirst Girls Competition has already reached over 85,000 students across the UK. This new partnership—between IBM, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), and the NCSC—aims to accelerate those efforts and tackle one of the sector’s biggest challenges: diversity.
Currently, women make up just 17% of the UK’s cyber workforce, despite the sector offering high salaries, with top earners commanding between £73,000 and £350,000. At the same time, 44% of UK businesses report facing a cyber security skills shortage, highlighting the urgent need to expand the talent pipeline.
Speaking on the announcement, 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.”
IBM’s support for the initiative is part of its wider Diversity & Inclusion in Cybersecurity campaign. Mark Hughes, IBM’s Global Managing Partner for Cyber Security, called the collaboration a “significant step” in building a stronger, more representative cyber industry:
“IBM is delighted to build upon our partnership with the National Cyber Security Centre by supporting the CyberFirst Girls competition with DSIT.
This new collaboration is a significant step towards nurturing the next generation of cyber leaders, ensuring a more inclusive and robust industry.”
Chris Ensor, NCSC Deputy Director for Cyber Growth, echoed this view:
“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 problems.
We need a cyber industry which reflects our diverse society and encourages the most talented individuals to keep our digital lives secure.”
The announcement comes as the UK Cyber Team—made up of 30 of the country’s brightest cyber minds aged 18 to 25—prepares to compete in an international tournament in Dublin. The team is selected through a rigorous esports-style competition developed by SANS and features members from across the UK, including London, Scotland, Wales, the South West, and the North of England.
With 37% of the team being female, and 3% identifying as non-binary, the UK Cyber Team reflects the growing emphasis on diversity in the field—something the CyberFirst Girls initiative hopes to build on from an earlier age.
The government’s renewed focus on cyber skills is part of its wider Plan for Change to support the economy and national security. The UK’s cyber security sector is now valued at £13.2 billion—a 12% increase in the past year—employing more than 67,000 people across over 2,100 companies.
With IBM now on board, the 2025/26 CyberFirst Girls Competition is expected to reach even more students and further close the gender gap in cyber. It’s a bold step in shaping a workforce ready to defend the UK’s digital frontiers—powered by talent, innovation, and inclusion.