This article was written by Laura, a third-year student studying a degree in cybersecurity at UCM and working at the CSC.
According to the latest statistics in 2024, women in cybersecurity only make up 24% of the workforce. I’m a third-year cybersecurity degree student, working part-time in the Cyber Security Centre, and I can attest that the statistic is correct. In my first year on the degree, I was one of three girls studying cybersecurity out of a group of 12, but now in my final year I’m the only woman alongside 4 men. 25% of us were women in first year, and 25% of us are women now.
Unfortunately, even in today’s society, women are not regularly encouraged to pursue the field of STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology and Maths). Why don’t we encourage more women into tech? I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time we changed that.
Who Paved the Way Before Us?
Ada Lovelace
Ada Lovelace is widely recognised as the first computer programmer. She speculated that an analytical engine could be able to manipulate symbols in accordance with rules, such as a number could represent entities other than what the number actually represents. Frequently referred to as the ‘Prophet of the Computer Age’, Lovelace is known for being the first to ever express that computers had the potential for use outside mathematics, starting the field of Computer Science.
Margaret Hamilton
Margaret Hamilton was a key player in the 1969 Moon Landing. She, along with her team, developed software that allowed the computer within the spacecraft to recognise error messages and ignore low-priority tasks, while continuing to guide astronauts to a safe landing on the Moon. Her software not only informed everyone that there was a hardware problem, but instead started compensating for it, and those at Mission Control had so much faith in Hamilton and her software that it was decided that the spacecraft could continue to land. In 2016, Hamilton was recognised for her efforts and awarded the Medal of Freedom, with President Obama noting that ‘her example speaks of the American spirit of discovery’.
Who is Leading Us Now?
Dr Jessica Barker
Dr Jessica Barker is a leader in the human nature of cybersecurity, and the co-founder of Cygenta. Her consultancy experience, technical knowledge, and years of working on the human side of cybersecurity has given her unique insight. Dr Barker has made many appearances discussing cybersecurity on national and international television and radio, helping to cement her place as the UK media’s go-to expert on subjects requiring graceful, clear, and engaging communication of technical subjects. Her passion about encouraging young people, particularly young women and girls, to become more engaged with cybersecurity, is helping to pave the way for more women to join the world of tech.
Poppy Gustafsson
Poppy Gustafsson has been a leader at Darktrace, the UK-based Autonomous Cyber AI leader, for almost a decade, working her way up from CFO to CEO. Named CEO of the Year at the 2021 Digital Masters Awards, and Tech CEO of the Year at the UK Tech Awards 2021, Gustafsson is a key player in the AI and cybersecurity field in the UK. Awarded an OBE for services to cybersecurity in 2019, and an honorary PhD in recognition of ‘outstanding achievements in the field of cybersecurity’ in 2021, her achievements are an inspiration to women and girls everywhere who have ever considered going into cybersecurity, proving that you can do anything you put your mind to.
How to Become Part of the Future
Self-esteem is Paramount
The best way to encourage women and girls into STEM is to nurture their self-esteem. I’ve been told by too many people that going into such a demanding field is a bad idea, and that I wouldn’t be able to do it. I didn’t need to hear that. Instead, I needed someone to tell me that if I put the work in that I could do it, even if it takes a long time. I’m so glad I chose not to listen to those who said I wasn’t good enough, and instead decided to believe those who encouraged me to have a go. If a girl wants to enter STEM, who are you to try to stop them?
Look for Relevant Role Models
When you look up the industry leaders you’re more than likely to come across the famous men, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any women out there. This piece alone gives you four strong women to look up to, and I’m sure you’ll even know a woman in your life who works in the field of technology.
If you want to look closer to home, take a look at Love Tech IOM and their mentors. The amazing women supporting Love Tech range from web developers to zoological scientists. If you’re looking for a female role model in STEM, reach out to these ladies. Talk to them, ask them your questions, and get inspired. There is a role in tech for everyone, not just the men.
Get Involved as soon as Possible
You might think that it’s too late to try and get into tech, but you couldn’t be more wrong. I won’t lie to you, seeing job titles such as ‘Network Engineer’ or ‘Security Administrator’ might seem scary at first glance, but they are always worth a read, even if just to give you an idea of what you might need to do before you go for those kinds of jobs. If you have children, especially young girls, talk to them about taking a science or computer based qualification, because today’s society always needs people that know how to work a computer.
Make Connections and Network
Take a look into local events or networking opportunities in your community, and go out and meet people. Maybe you’re still in school or college and just want some more information about what is going on in the current cybersecurity climate, or maybe you’ve decided you want a change of career and think computers are cool. Whatever background you’ve got, there are people out there that will talk to you and answer your questions.
CYBERISLE 2024
Why not keep lookout for the Cyber Security Centre’s annual cybersecurity conference CYBERISLE later this year? It’s a great way to network, learn more about the industry, and make yourself known. More information will be released in the coming months, so make sure you keep checking our social media pages and website. Making the decision to go to the 2021 conference was one of the best things I’ve done to get into the field, and it helped me meet so many different businesses and learn about what they do.
If you’re serious about getting into tech, it’s definitely a good place to start your journey.