COMPUTING & IT RESOURCES
Inspiring future cyber security careers in schools
with We Build Bridges CIC, aimed to encourage more students to explore ethical hacking and cyber security careers.
After Sophie’s visit to the school last year, the numbers of pupils that were considering a career in ICT increased from 33% to 44%. This demonstrates the impact of giving students the opportunity to see what a career in cyber security entails and to speak directly with a role model in the industry.
E
ducation Today reports on the recent work of Sophie Vingoe, Senior Cyber Security Consultant at Cyberis, to encourage pupils to consider a career in ICT, including ethical hacking and cyber security. In celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science last month (11th February), Cyberis’ Sophie Vingoe ran an engaging series of lessons, workshops, and sessions for Year 8 students at The King’s Church of England Academy, part of Three Spires Trust, in Kidsgrove, near Stoke-on-Trent.
The event, which was arranged in collaboration
“Participating in this event is immensely important to me, so I was delighted to be invited back,” said Sophie. “It’s crucial to inspire the next generation to pursue careers in science and technology. By showcasing how exciting and fulfilling the cyber security industry can be, I hope to inspire students to explore this field and contribute to making our digital world safer.” Following an interactive warm up session introducing students to the basics of cyber security, Sophie demonstrated some ethical hacking techniques, while emphasising the importance of legal and ethical considerations. She also shared her own career journey at Cyberis and provided insights into what it is like working in the cyber security industry.
Janine Kirk, Teacher of Computing at The King’s Church of England Academy, said: “The students really enjoyed Sophie’s talk and especially liked the real-life demonstration of hacking in action. This gave students a real flavour of what it is like to have a job in this field. We are confident it will spark interest in pursuing
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www.education-today.co.uk March 2026
a career in cyber security just like last year’s event did.”
Sophie’s visits have helped the school gain an ‘I Belong’ certificate from the National Centre for Computing Education because they demonstrate how the school uses female representatives in the tech world to promote girls choosing computer science as a career path.
“We are delighted to collaborate with Sophie and Cyberis on this event,” Karen Barker, Director of We Build Bridges CIC. “We work to increase ‘social capital’ for school pupils that live in neighbourhoods where they may not have family and friends working in ‘STEM’ industries. Meeting and talking to people in interesting job roles, such as Sophie’s, can broaden a pupil’s understanding and aspirations for their career choices.”
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