CyberFirst Girls Competition returns for 2020!

The National Cyber Security Centre is on the lookout for the next female code-breaking champions!

The CyberFirst Girls Competition 2020, run by the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), launches 2 December 2019.

It's free to enter and is open to girls aged 12-13 years old (Year 8) who are interested in finding out more about cyber security.

Teams of up to four students will take on an online round of codebreaking challenges with the highest scoring going through to the semi-finals which will take place in locations across the UK next February. The competition will culminate with an exciting Grand Final event in March 2020, where teams will compete in a simulated real-world cyber incident and the champions crowned.

As well as gaining skills in computing, teamwork and problem-solving, the girls will have the opportunity to take part in some unique experiences - attending exciting venues, meeting senior public figures, hearing from female leaders in tech and finding out what their future in this field could look like. Previous winners met the Queen as part of GCHQ centenary celebrations!

Last year, nearly 12,000 girls took part, 98% of whom said they would now like to learn more about cyber security.

There is a downloadable information pack available with further information, as well as other resources on the National Cyber Security Centre website. 

Watch the video below for highlights of the 2019 competition: