Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) has provided fully funded placements to women on Cardiff University’s MSc Cyber Security and Technology, with an ambition to diversify the cyber workforce and widen access into the industry for underrepresented groups.
The programme was developed by world-class cyber security researchers at the School of Computer Science & Informatics in partnership with PwC’s Ethical Hacking and Cyber Security team. In addition to CCR’s investment, five of the placements on the 2024/2025 cohort were funded with £35,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
By providing funded placements, CCR has enabled young women to enter the cybersecurity sector, an industry where 82.5% of the workforce is male according to Socura’s UK Cyber Report (2024). Graduates of the MSc programme have secured high-skilled roles at companies including Airbus and PwC, aiding businesses in attracting female cyber talent to the sector.
Dr. Nia Evans, Senior Manager with PwC, Honorary Senior Lecturer for Cardiff University, said:
“It has been a privilege to be part of the creation and running of such an impactful programme. It helped showcase just how positive an impact partnerships between academia, public sector and industry can be. The success has resulted in seeing more programmes from other universities spring up. It shows that when everyone commits to making a beneficial change, it has a real impact on local talent. The programme didn't just build up local talent but also drew in talent from across the UK.
“As someone involved in the programme, and as someone who works for one of the employers who actively recruited from the programme, I am excited to see what great talent will continue to come from the programme in the long-term, as well as the positive impact I know they will have on the cyber workforce within Wales.”
Yasmine Portella, 2024 MSc graduate and Ethical Hacking Senior Associate at PwC, said:
“The MSc Cyber Security and Technology provided a wide breadth of knowledge that helped me build a good foundation for a career in the cyber industry.
“I believe that the cybersecurity industry, as well as the variety of roles that exist within it, are not well-advertised outside of cybersecurity circles – there are so many interesting cyber roles that I've only discovered since I started working in the industry. I think that a lot more people would be interested in cyber and keen to join the industry if it was more accessible.”
Councillor Dimitri Batrouni, Leader of Newport Council and CCR’s Portfolio Lead for Data and Skills, said:
“The programme exemplifies the positive impact of partnerships between academia, public sector, and industry, united in a joint ambition to support women and underrepresented groups in the cyber and tech industries.
“With 50 students benefiting from funded placements since 2021, this collaboration demonstrates what we can achieve working together – widening the talent pool and delivering a pipeline of talent to our region’s businesses, safeguarding the cyber workforce’s long-term future.”
