IT students and graduates - your country needs you!

You don't need to don the shaved head and black coat look to be a security professional.

The UK needs more cyber security experts, according to IT professionals. Many companies throughout the UK have reportedly been struggling with cyber crime, and are finding it even tougher to find the right people to deal with the problem.

So the search is on to find the next generation of security experts, equipped with the knowledge to protect online information. Competition entrants are required to solve a series of tasks and games, set by the Cyber Security Challenge. The first round of challenges are open to entrants over September and December. There are about 30 prizes up for grabs, including bursaries for university courses and places on top training schemes.

The competition is aimed at those aged 16 and over, and hopes to encourage more people to pursue a career in computer security. And in the increasingly turbulent waters of the graduate job market, this is a great chance for our IT students to get that vital foot in the door.

Think you got what it takes? Visit the Cyber Security Challenge homepage to register.