On Thursday 30 April, 30 Year 8 girls attended an outreach day hosted by CyberFirst. CyberFirst is a government-backed programme to create opportunities for talented young people in future-focused tech careers. On the day there were 5 main activities:
- Open source problem-solving (being given a problem and using the internet effectively to find the best solution in the most efficient time)
- Robotics – they built and coded Lego robots so that their robots could compete on a racetrack.
- Generative AI – they developed their skills in using precise and efficient language with AI to generate their own creative outcomes
- Code-breaking with the National Cyber Force – they used decoding and problem-solving skills to find hidden data
- They engaged in a plenary reflection session where they thought about their strengths and challenges on the day, they considered what they enjoyed and what they had learned, they thought about what had surprised them and where their views had changed.
As well as digital and logical skills, team work underpinned every task. The girls had to recognise strengths within teams to get optimal results. They saw how they were each talented in different areas and could work together to maximise their solutions. They had to read information quickly and accurately, they had to think creatively and laterally. They had to use code-making and code-breaking techniques to achieve their outputs.
They also expanded their understanding of the presence of cyber in all walks of life. With this, they increased their understanding of the range of careers that are out there using cyber-based skills. They also learned that the future jobs market is as yet undefined. Some of the jobs they will do, do not yet exist.
All in all, the girls had an excellent experience at this very well-run event. We are very grateful to Energus, CyberFirst and also Brad and Quinn, our inspiring industry leads for the day.