Fylde coast girls learn about digital careers opportunities at Blackpool event

Children from the likes of Cardinal Allen and Fleetwood High School, St George's School, St Mary's Catholic Academy, Highfield School, Armfield Academy and Montgomery Academy took part in part in an interactive day of IT and cyber security activities, demonstrating how coding is instrumental in preventing and disrupting cyber-attacks.

They also heard from women already successful in the sector in a bid to inspire them to follow in their footsteps.

Sammy Graham, a British rocket scientist, appeared via video link from the rocket testing site in the United States.

It was organised by community interest company, Cyber Girls First, which said that only about 15 per cent of the IT, coding and cyber workforce were women and that the UK needed to close the gender gap to boost productivity and careers in the future.

Ann Dean, chairman of the Lancashire Digital Skills Partnership, said: “It’s fantastic to be working with Cyber Girls First to bring this regional in-person event to Blackpool.

"According to TechNation’s current Diversity and Inclusion report, only one in five of the UK’s tech workforce is female. Encouraging more girls into digital and tech careers will unlock major economic benefits for Blackpool and the County, linking the region directly to the tech sector.

“By providing our region’s young women with the opportunity to explore the vast career options available to them, and to directly engage with successful female role models already leading the way within tech, we hope to show them that a bright future in these fields is well within their reach, and that there are businesses right here in Blackpool who are doing amazing things.”