A STUDENT from the Bradford district is set to compete in the final of a national cyber security challenge.

Samee Ullah Malik, 18, of Bingley Grammar School, will be part of a four-person team made up of students from across the UK taking part in CyberCenturion VII.

It is a competition open to students aged 12 to 18 in the UK and British Overseas Territories, giving secondary school pupils the opportunity to develop their cyber security skills and put them to the test via a series of technical and network challenges.

The virtual final, held this Thursday, will see six finalist teams compete for an all-expenses paid trip to the US Northrop Grumman facility, including a visit to the Pentagon and the NASA space research facility.

Sponsored by global aerospace and defence technology company Northrop Grumman, the programme aims to provide a stepping stone for students and is increasingly well-recognised by employers, with online qualifying rounds to test technical ability, and the opportunity to network with inspiring professionals in the industry.

Nick Chaffrey, chief executive of Northrop Grumman (UK, Europe and Middle East), said: “We're conscious that the past year has been tough for students, with the restrictions on their ability to attend school, engage in team events and build their skills.

“We are very proud to support and lift their cyber security and computer skills using CyberCenturion as a vehicle to achieve this.

“The cyber security sector is one that is bucking the trend of the economy.

“There is huge growth and continued demand for skills in this area and so it presents a huge opportunity for students to build skills and carve out future careers.”

CyberCenturion has been running for seven years. This year’s competition programme represents an ongoing collaborative effort from sponsor organisation Northrop Grumman and delivery partner Cyber Security Challenge UK to engage a rich and more diverse pool of future talent with opportunities in STEM and cyber security, driven by a shared mission to contribute towards closing the global cyber skills gap.