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QinetiQ and the British Esports Association are teaming up to raise awareness of the common skills between cyber security professionals and esports players during a special event at the Science Museum in London on Wednesday 25th September from 6:45pm to 10pm.

Firms like QinetiQ are looking to the digital-savvy gaming community for the next generation of security talent. Attendees at event will be able to find out how gaming can facilitate career pathways in the world of cyber security and the wider tech sphere.

QinetiQ has one of the world’s longest established cyber defence teams. We protect our customers’ critical infrastructure, improve their digital resilience and support their staff to overcome the challenges presented from evolving technologies and cyber threats.

British Esports is a not-for-profit national body established in 2016 to promote esports in the UK, increase its level of awareness, improve standards and inspire future talent.

As part of our partnership with the Science Museum and sponsorship of their Top Secr*t exhibition, we are joining the Science Museum Lates adults-only, after-hours theme nights on the 25th September to bring you an interactive yet informative event that will be sure to leave you wanting more. Find out more and register here to attend this FREE event.

Alongside our interactive activities including live video gaming (Rocket League), virtual reality and lock picking, we will also be discussing video gamers’ skills and capabilities and how they are very similar to the skills wanted in cyber security. For example, part of a cyber security expert’s job is being able to work with large data sets which requires an excellent attention to detail. Similarly gamers have been proven to be highly attentive when playing against their opponent. This is brought about by the player's need to achieve certain objectives within the game.

David Viola, Ethical Security Tester at QinetiQ, said: “As an avid gamer and cyber security professional, I’ve often recognised the skills from one translate strongly into the other.

Whether I’ve been running a 5 man team through an online dungeon, or leading a team of cyber security professionals in evading defenders as we test the security of a customer’s environment; the skill to combine passion, planning and knowledge together in a balanced, and coordinated fashion, never changes."

Chester King, CEO of the British Esports Association, said: “We’re excited to partner with QinetiQ and explore the parallels between esports and cyber security, and how it may be a career path for gamers.”

“Rocket League is a great way of engaging an audience and we look forward to seeing many of you getting involved on the night.”

If you are interested in a cyber security career at QinetiQ, please be sure to visit our recruitment page.