Cyber Security Trip 10th June 2025
On Wednesday 10th June, 21 girls from Years 8 and 9 travelled to Colt Technologies to take part in the Cyber First Girls event, sponsored by JP Morgan and organised by Pat Ryan CBE. The aim of the event is to inspire more girls to consider careers in technology and cyber security, especially as women currently make up only 12% of the UK’s tech and cyber workforce.
The day offered an exciting and hands-on introduction to the world of tech and digital safety. Students explored key topics including online privacy, with an engaging session on the importance of using webcam covers and an interactive activity analysing how much personal data can be revealed through social media posts.
Before the day concluded, students attended a fascinating presentation on encryption and had the opportunity to crack coded messages themselves. A huge well done to Diya Vijay, who wowed the presenter by creating an encrypted message that couldn’t be cracked!
A standout moment was meeting Pat Ryan CBE, a truly inspiring woman with a remarkable career. Pat served in Royal Navy Intelligence during the 1960s and went on to become one of the first women to hold a senior position at PwC. In her so-called retirement, she has channelled her energy into two major initiatives: ensuring every children’s hospital ward in the UK had personal computers, and now, encouraging girls to pursue careers in tech and cyber.
Pat spoke about the challenges she faced in a male-dominated industry, and how she was often mistaken for a man based on her name and CV alone. Her mission today is clear: to redress the gender imbalance in technology and show girls that they have an important role to play in shaping the future of the digital world.
The day wrapped up with a Q&A session where students posed thoughtful questions to professionals across the tech sector, learning about different career paths—from university routes to apprenticeships and internships.
It was an empowering and eye-opening experience, giving our students the confidence to imagine themselves as the tech pioneers of tomorrow.
