Cumbria’s first ever secondary school cyber security 'Capture the Flag' competition took place last week.

Hosted by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) in partnership with Hack the Box, the two-day event unfolded at Energus.

The event was designed to introduce students to the world of cyber security, encouraging them to consider it as a potential career pathway.

Students from schools across Cumbria, including Workington, Whitehaven, Kendal and Penrith, competed in the grand cyber security Capture the Flag competition, a contest that put their cyber techniques and strategic problem-solving abilities to the test.

Participants, aged between 13 and 18, formed teams of six and battled to be the fastest to unravel puzzles simulating hacking scenarios and phishing scams.

Beyond the contest, the event served to expose the students to a range of cyber techniques and shed light on numerous career pathways available within the NDA group.

Measures were taken to ensure students of differing abilities and backgrounds could participate, making it inclusive for all.

The winning team, who swiftly solved the most puzzles, were the Hackstreet Boys from Keswick School.

The runner-up and third-place teams hailed from Ullswater Community College in Penrith.

Tom Pye-Kendall, a Year 13 student at Keswick School studying computer science, said: "I’ve really enjoyed attending this competition.

"It’s been really fun getting to know more about the world of cybersecurity, hear from industry experts and find out more about how to solve such complex puzzles.

“I’m really into cyber and problem solving, so this event has been really interesting and a great opportunity to learn more about programming, tactics and hacking in an ethical way.

“Longer term, my ambition is to go to university to study computer science and this event has affirmed to me that it’s a career pathway I really want to pursue.”

Neil Kendall, GSOC Threat Intel and Analysis Manager, NDA, was delighted to introduce the field of cybersecurity to the young participants.

He said: "With it being Cyber Awareness Month, the timing couldn’t be more perfect in educating these young people on how to positively work within cyber, find out more about the skillsets employed by the NDA and showcase how this is a legitimate career pathway.

“A massive thank you to all the pupils and teacher who attended this event and for being fantastic role models to their respective schools, as well as Hack the Box for supporting the event.”

Students also heard from a panel of cyber experts within the NDA and the Group Industrial Cyberspace Centre, who offered crucial insight into the sector, the skillsets needed, and the opportunities it provides.

This panel included Mateusz Szuminski, a cyber security analyst at the NDA who began as a cyber security graduate.

Mateusz said: “Being at this event has been a great way of passing on my experiences to young people. It’s also been fantastic to showcase how working in cyber within this sector never fails to be interesting, as you are always working on projects that are vital in ensuring we continue to complete our nuclear decommissioning mission safely and securely.”

The NDA continues to invest heavily in early career development, injecting over £45 million per annum into apprentice and graduate development programmes.

For those interested in exploring careers within the NDA, further details can be found at the ‘Working for NDA’ pages on www.gov.uk, ndagrougraduates.co.uk, and energus.co.uk.