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One of the most important points of the human resources gap in international cyber security is that the participation of women in the sector is not numerically sufficient and gender balance cannot be achieved within cyber security teams. According to research, factors such as difficulties in accessing sectoral training, lack of role models, income/opportunity inequality, and social and cognitive biases create obstacles for women to develop their careers in the field of cyber security. With this motivation, the She4Cyber project, which was realized by qualifying for the project support of the US Consulate General in Istanbul, aims to increase the capacity and visibility of women in the cyber security sector, raise awareness of gender-based discrimination in the sector and combat this discrimination.
The project, which aims to introduce women to the field of cyber security through training and mentoring programs, is growing with the financial assistance of the US Consulate General in Istanbul and the support of stakeholders such as Kadir Has University, Akbank, Sisters Lab, The Diana Initiative and Marjinal Porter Novelli.
The main objectives of the 18-month project are listed as follows:
- To evaluate the competencies of the participants in the field of cyber security.
- To increase the knowledge of the participants to study different cyber security issues individually.
- Providing the opportunity for high-performing participants in the previous step to meet mentors working in the cyber security industry.
- To carry out face-to-face cyber security specialization training and to provide internship opportunities in the cyber security sector to a limited number of participants.
Marvin Alfaro, Cultural Consul of the US Consulate General in Istanbul, made the following statements about the She4Cyber project: “She4Cyber is a concrete example of women’s empowerment, innovation and inclusivity in the world of cyber security, and the US Diplomatic Representation in Turkey carries forward gender equality and women’s empowerment in all areas of life.” An initiative that reflects its determination to “As we address the challenges of cyberspace, we know that diversity is not just an attraction, it is an absolute necessity.”
Assoc. Prof. She4Cyber project manager. Dr. Salih Bıçakcı evaluated the project with the following words: “I think that ensuring gender balance will greatly support the strengthening of teams in the cyber security sector. Research conducted in the field of security shows that gender balance in cyber security teams will ensure successful results in decision-making and operations. We predict that this will contribute to the efficiency and profitability of companies. We believe that participants who are new to the sector will overcome many unforeseen problems, especially thanks to the presence and support of female mentors in the cyber security sector who will support the candidates in the project. I must say that it is really pleasing to see that other projects follow our example with the project we pioneered in the cyber security sector. “After completing the project, if we find the necessary financial support, we will continue to do our best to increase the number of women in the cyber security sector with new projects.”
500 applications received for She4Cyber
Project manager Assoc. Dr. According to the information given by Salih Bıçakcı, approximately 500 applications were received for She4Cyber. While 120 of the applicants were accepted to the program, 30 people attended face-to-face training held in Istanbul. In the face-to-face training attended by 18 speakers from different disciplines, areas such as psychology and art are touched upon, as well as technical information. While it is stated that She4Cyber is a 360-degree program, one-on-one mentoring support will also be provided to 5 interns who will be placed in different companies within the scope of the program.