CyberFirst Wales celebrates the success of its pan-Wales Empower: Girls into Tech event series, which engaged nearly 800 Year 9 and Year 10 girls through hands-on technology workshops, industry-led activities and inspiring career conversations across Wales.
Inspiring the next generation of girls in technology
This summer, Empower: Girls into Tech brought together schools, colleges, universities, industry partners and inspiring role models to help more girls explore the opportunities available in technology.
The pan-Wales event series engaged nearly 800 Year 9 and Year 10 girls, giving learners the chance to take part in practical workshops, meet people working in industry and discover future pathways in areas such as cyber security, artificial intelligence, engineering, esports, semiconductors, space technology, digital design, medtech and data.
From Glyntaf to Bangor, Gower to Newport, and Wrexham to communities across Wales, the message was clear. Technology is for everyone, and girls have an important place in Wales’ digital future.
“I want to extend a sincere thank you for the day. The students thoroughly enjoyed every activity they took part in and they were fully engaged throughout. On the journey home several of the girls commented that they had never previously considered careers in the industry – so it was clearly an inspiring experience for them.”
Dewi Jones – Head of ICT at Abertilley Learning Community
A pan-Wales technology event series with real impact
Empower: Girls into Tech was designed to give learners a practical and positive introduction to modern technology careers.
Rather than simply hearing about the sector, students experienced it first-hand. They explored real-world challenges, took part in interactive activities and spoke to professionals about the many different routes into digital, cyber and technology roles.
Across the series, learners engaged with activities covering AI, space, esports, medtech, cyber leadership, cyber incident response, semiconductors, virtual reality, engineering, digital problem solving and innovation. These sessions helped show that technology careers are creative, collaborative and connected to the world around us.
Events took place at the University of South Wales Glyntaf Campus, Bangor University, Gower College Swansea, University of South Wales Newport Campus and Coleg Cambria Yale Campus in Wrexham, helping make Empower accessible to learners from different regions of Wales.
changing perecptions
The success of Empower is about more than the number of learners involved, although engaging nearly 800 girls is something we are incredibly proud of.
Confidence
It is about helping girls build confidence in subjects that have traditionally been perceived as for boys.
Aspiration
Creating an environment that introduces girls to vocations and people they can aspire to be like.
Valued
It is about showing girls that their ideas, skills and interests are valuable in technology.
Belonging
It is about helping girls see themselves in careers they may not have previously considered.
For many of the girls, meeting people who work in cyber, AI, engineering, digital design or emerging technologies can be a powerful moment. It can change how they think about their own future.
Powered by industry and education partnerships
Empower: Girls into Tech would not have been possible without the outstanding support of our industry and education partners.
“Five events, hundreds of girls, one message we wanted to get across: you already have what it takes. You don’t need to be a developer to build a tech business – you need to spot a problem and believe your solution is worth fighting for. Every single room proved that”
Molly Sishton – Co-Founder, So-Me
Across the series, students benefited from the time, energy and expertise of organisations including Imogen Firmstone, Admiral, Companies House, Kocho, So-Me, Esports Wales, Safran, Deloitte, Animated Technologies, Toyota, AMRC Cymru, Important Small Things, Elemental Health, Bangor Computing, Gower College Swansea and the University of South Wales, alongside CyberFirst Wales partners, student ambassadors and event teams.
Each partner helped bring technology to life in a different way. Some delivered hands-on workshops. Some shared career journeys. Some supported activities, logistics or student engagement. Together, they helped learners understand that there is no single route into technology, and no single type of person who belongs in the sector.
This kind of partnership is essential if we want to build a more diverse, inclusive and confident technology workforce for Wales.
From Girls into Cyber to Girls into Tech
Empower has grown from a focused Girls into Cyber programme into a broader Girls into Tech series. This reflects the changing technology landscape and the wide range of digital careers now available to young people.
Cyber security remains an important part of the programme, but the expanded model also introduces learners to fast-growing and future-focused areas such as AI, space and satellite technologies, semiconductors, data, medtech, digital engineering and immersive technology.
This wider focus helps learners understand the scale of opportunity in the technology sector and the many different ways they can contribute.
A huge thank you
We want to say a heartfelt thank you to every school that took part, every teacher who supported learners to attend, every venue team that helped make the events possible and every organisation that gave its time, people and expertise.
Also, a special thank you to Reaching Wider for all of their assistance in making these events happen.
Looking ahead
The success of this pan-Wales Empower: Girls into Tech series shows what can happen when schools, colleges, universities and industry work together with a shared purpose.
Empower has shown that Wales’ future tech talent is already here. And after this year’s series, it is clearer than ever that the future is bright, ambitious and full of possibility.
Become a CyberFirst School
If you’re a school or college in Wales and want to enjoy the benefit of CyberFirst, there’s no better time than now to start your award application.
