A team of Manx teenagers have won second place in the finals of a UK-wide cybersecurity competition.

The team ’CyberAces’, consisting of Aaron Rielly (Ramsey Grammar), Arthur Owenson (King William’s College), Luka Warren (Ballakermeen High School) and Siddharth Muthu Pandian (St Ninian’s High School), was one of two fielded by the Isle of Man Code Club.

They were just three points from the top of the leaderboard.

The CyberAces team had been training together and competing from the island in three separate qualifying rounds held in November, December, and March.

In 2019, the team competed as juniors at CyberCenturion V National Finals and placed as the top junior team.

The competition puts the computer skills of students (aged from 12-18) to the test via a series of technical and network challenges.

10 Manx students in total participated, part of the 25 Manx competitors who have attended the competitions over the past six years.

This year, only 10 senior teams out of 451 teams qualified for the national finals, encompassing students across the UK along with Overseas Territories like Gibraltar.

Sponsored by global aerospace and defence technology company Northrop Grumman, the programme is well-recognised by employers, with online qualifying rounds to test technical ability, and the opportunity to network with professionals in the industry.

Chief Executive of Northrop Grumman [UK, Europe and Middle East], Nick Chaffey 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.’

The competition was held remotely, and so instead of having to travel to London, the Code Club were able to create their own ’IOM team hub’ at the Eagle Lab in Douglas.

Software architect Owen Cutajar, from the Isle of Man Code Club, said: ’We’re delighted that CyberAces have managed to make it to the CyberCenturion National Finals once again. The team performed admirably, showing off their superb cybersecurity and IT skills.

’We’re proud that we started them along this path, but it’s thanks to the team’s further learning, determination, and research skills that they have come so far.

’We’re looking to run cybersecurity training sessions over the summer to encourage more young people in the Isle of Man to learn valuable skills and maybe even take part in CyberCenturion next year’. Those interested can email: [email protected]’