Foyle Thornhill and Oakgrove students among 700 at major Empower Girls STEM event
Students from Foyle College, Thornhill College and Oakgrove Integrated College were among 700 girls from 24 schools across Northern Ireland who attended Empower Girls 2026 at ICC Belfast this week.
The event brought together schools and industry partners to inspire young women to explore careers in cyber security and technology through interactive demonstrations and hands-on activities.
Now in its third year, Empower Girls has grown into a major STEM movement, bringing together more than 60 organisations from industry, academia and government.
Organisers said that at the start of the event, only 37% of attendees said they had considered a career in cyber or technology. By the end, that number had risen to 62% - a shift at the heart of Empower Girls’ mission.
Students took part in interactive exhibits, live demonstrations and hands-on activities, exploring the world of cyber security, innovation and technology. They also heard from professionals working in cyber defence, AI, cloud computing, software engineering and digital forensics.
Since launching in 2024, Empower Girls has expanded its reach. The initiative has: Engaged with more than 1,500 girls across Northern Ireland, Partnered with over 100 organisations, Involved schools from both urban and rural communities, Grown into one of the largest collaborative STEM outreach events in the region.
Mark McCormack, Chief Technology Officer and Managing Director, Aflac Northern Ireland said: “Empower Girls exists to widen the pipeline of future talent. Today hundreds of girls met the people shaping the technology that powers our world, and many of them will one day lead it.”
Sara Lyons, CyberFirst Northern Ireland Project Manager said: “Cyber security is one of the world’s fastest growing industries. Events like this open doors early to provide insight to the exciting and rewarding opportunities in cyber security and other technology roles. The focus on girls aims to help build the diverse workforce that Northern Ireland needs.”
Emma Harmon, Teacher, Mercy College Belfast said: “The girls have been buzzing all day. Many had never heard of cyber security before, now they’re talking about ethical hacking and engineering careers.”
Girls inspired by the event can continue their journey through the CyberFirst programme, which offers clubs, courses, competitions and bursaries designed to nurture emerging tech talent.
For more information or to get involved: [email protected]