Cyber Security expert returns to school

Class of 2012 alumna Emma Taylor returned to school this week to talk to our pupils about careers in cyber security. Emma, a Cyber Security Consultant at Accenture, left Sheffield Girls’ in 2012 with the ambition of becoming a Dentist, before changing to a degree in Computer Forensics.

Emma spoke to Year 10, Year 11 and Year 13 pupils about the importance of cyber security and the huge skills gap in the industry. Only 16% of cyber security professionals and only 3% of senior roles are currently filled by women. Emma focussed on sharing the abilities that are needed in her job, many of which are the soft skills that she started developing during her time at school, in swing band and other co-curricular clubs.

Jorja in Year 13 attended Emma’s lunchtime seminar. “The talk was very inspiring for me, and I loved learning about Emma’s journey through the field of Cyber Security. I was previously undecided on what type of job I’d like to pursue in the world of technology, however after hearing about the kind of work Emma carried out regarding digital forensics, I have developed a huge interest in this career path!” 

Jackie Morton, Head of Computing, said, “it was fantastic to welcome Emma back to school to talk about her work as a cyber security consultant. We cover cyber security as part of the GCSE syllabus, but hearing about Emma’s day to day work really brought it to life for the students in Year 10 and 11 and gave them the opportunity to ask questions. Emma also spoke to Year 13 about her career journey, and her talk really highlighted the importance of developing a range of skills that can be applied to working in so many different sectors.”