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CLOSING THE CYBER SKILLS GAP: NCF FUNDS FREE TRAINING FOR 22,000+ WOMEN
The global cyber sector faces a staggering 4.8 million workforce gap. With threats evolving daily, addressing the cyber skills gap by building new pathways into tech roles – particularly for underrepresented individuals – is a national security priority.
Established in 2020, the National Cyber Force (NCF) brings together specialists from GCHQ, the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), and the Department for Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) to tackle the UK’s most complex security challenges. To tackle the cyber skills gap and access new and harder-to-reach talent pools, the NCF joined forces with Code First Girls.
Over four years, NCF has sponsored tech education for more than 22,000 women – nearly four times the entire intake of female UK computer science undergraduates in 2025.
Now, NCF is expanding its reach. For the first time ever, the partnership is opening new courses to everyone aged 16 and above, with a focus on the frontier technologies shaping the future.
22k+
Women taught to code through NCF sponsorship
24
CFG graduates hired into Dstl (part of NCF)
67%
2026 CFGdegree learners are first gen to attend university
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The Challenge
Tackling the cyber skills gap
The UK faces a critical shortage of software engineers, data analysts, and cyber specialists. For NCF, bridging the cyber skills gap was vital.
In cyber operations, groupthink is a major vulnerability. Threat vectors change every day. Defending national security takes lateral thinking and fresh perspectives. By partnering with Code First Girls, NCF could unlock new, non-traditional talent pipelines.
In fact, over 50% of the Code First Girls community are career switchers, 16% identify as neurodivergent, and over 36% come from underrepresented socio-economic backgrounds.
The Solution
1. Free, accessible tech education for local communities
To create an open, welcoming pathway into tech, NCF sponsored a progressive learning journey tailored to every stage of a learner’s development:
- Tech Tasters: Light-touch, introductory sessions for complete beginners and career returners, offering a friendly first look at coding fundamentals, AI, and cyber security basics.
- Classes: Skill-boosting, 8-week modules focused on practical, high-demand programming languages like Python, SQL, JavaScript, and C#.
- The CFGdegree: An intensive, application-only 16-week bootcamp designed to equip women with the deep technical knowledge, practical soft skills, and confidence needed to step straight into entry-level tech careers.
2. Support underrepresented talent into employment
Beyond education, NCF recruited top Code First Girls talent directly into its operational teams. Every candidate completed the advanced entry-level programme, the CFGdegree, before stepping straight into high-impact software and data engineering roles at Dstl (part of NCF).
The impact extended far beyond NCF’s direct intake. Other sponsored learners secured high-impact roles across broader government departments and major commercial sectors. They stepped into careers across consultancy, defence, telecoms, and banking. Their new positions ranged from Product Manager and Data Analyst to Junior Software Engineer and Project Scientist.
3. Investing in the next generation of young tech talent
With nearly one million young people in the UK currently classified as NEET (not in education, employment, or training), NCF and Code First Girls are taking their mission a step further to address the cyber skills gap.
Together with Code First Girls, NCF is launching exclusive frontier tech courses accessible to all genders aged 16 and above, giving young people early access to high-growth tech careers. You can read more about these exciting courses here.
The Results
By removing barriers to tech education, the NCF and Code First Girls have converted raw potential into vital national capability.
Why Choose Code First Girls
Companies around the world trust Code First Girls to provide:
- Practical, high-impact training – We give women the coding and data skills they need to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact.
- Access to diverse talent – We connect companies with candidates from non-traditional backgrounds, bringing fresh ideas and new ways of thinking to your teams.
- A supportive community – Our network of peers, mentors, and alumni gives women ongoing encouragement, while our CFG-led technical coaching ensures candidates continue to thrive once in role.
- Programmes built for business outcomes – We align training with your goals, creating inclusive, resilient teams that drive innovation and results.
Why not find out for yourself? Speak to our experts here. 👇
