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Need for the project: 

• Estonia is a small country (1,3 million people) that aims to be good in IT and cyber security;  

• while in masters-level we have reached 40% of the female intake to the university programs, BA, DOC levels, and workplace we see 23-25% of women vs 75% of men;  

• we have carried out studies with 75 000 students over 5 years that give us a good understanding of how and when girls IT-related education at schools needs to push - its 4-9th graders;  

• one is that girls are better in social situations, they also need a wider understanding of the bigger purpose to be on IT and its possibilities as a career choice, role-models that they can relate as well technical skills. 

Project: "Women in cybersecurity - role models for girls" tackles two of these issues - role models and IT/cyber as a career choice for women.  

We have developed material for 7-12th graders that girls can relate to. We have gathered the best research and projects available that tackles challenges in the IT and cybersecurity field to package them into the more entertaining matter, but still in a way that relates to teachers as they are the key point to reach girls in their schools.  

It includes: 

• tests "Is IT for me?" and "Do I prepare myself to be good at IT/Cyber security?" "who my persona looks alike in cybersecurity field";  

• reading materials of modern career shapes from the straight line "I" to an expert to "comb" where you acquire both 3-4 expertize and wide view skillsets; 

• exercise to learn more about different career paths from novice to expert example from IT-specialist to cybersecurity architect;  

• discussion materials about gender equality, diversity, and challenges to overcome.  

We have collected personal stories from 58 role models and video stories of 6 from young talents and IT/cyber specialists to company owners and high-level leadership to showcase who are the top women in cybersecurity in Estonia they can look up for. It includes also young female hackers, former ambassador of Estonia in the US, Atlantic Treaty Association vice president, university professors, and others.  

This project includes also supporting FB channel CyberTomorrow for entrepreneurs, teachers, women, and girls; a series of conferences and seminars from 2021 to 2022 to raise awareness and the development of equality-related escape room game will be lauched 2023.