Cybersecurity is one of the most fast-paced, rapidly evolving modern industries, however this evolution does not appear to apply to the number of women involved in the field. Back in 2013, research firm Frost and Sullivan produced data showing that women made up just 11% of the global cybersecurity workforce. Seven years on in 2020, and according to Cybersecurity Ventures, the figure now stands at 20%. Although this is a slight increase, uptake has been slow compared to the industry’s own rapid internal advancement.

In order to tackle this issue, The Smallpeice Trust, established in the U.K. by engineer Dr. Cosby Smallpeice, works with partner organizations to give young people, especially girls, role models and experiences to fuel their passion for the STEM subjects. Through The Trust, there is also a wide range of scholarship programs available to school pupils interested in pursuing a career in STEM. Change is already occurring. Registrations for a wide range of engineering, STEM and cybersecurity residential training sessions and seminars (currently provided online) are now achieving a 50:50 balance between girls and boys.

Read more: Boosting Gender Diversity in Cybersecurity (securitymagazine.com)