RECRUITING WITH A TWIST
CSE teams up with Escape Manor
In one of the first partnerships of its kind, the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) has teamed up with Escape Manor for a recruiting campaign.
The Recruit, Escape Manor Ottawa’s newest storyline, gives participants the opportunity to immerse themselves in an exaggerated day in the life of a government cyber-defence specialist, solving puzzles developed by CSE code makers and breakers.
CSE is Canada’s agency responsible for cyber defence.
If participants solve the puzzles they have the chance to meet with a CSE recruiter.
“It’s been a really cool and fun project,” said Steve Wilson, vice-president of marketing and one of the founders of Escape Manor.
The Recruit is such a large project it will only be held at Escape Manor’s Hintonburg location, and the facility had to be expanded to make room.
In the storyline, it’s the participant’s first day on the job at CSE as a cyber-defence specialist when a cyberattack strikes, Wilson said.
“Everything goes sideways, as it should on your first day,” he said.
The cyberattack is executed by a fictional adversary featured in one of Escape Manor’s most popular narratives, the Diefenbunker.
The participant will have to solve various puzzles created by the CSE. Wilson said the room will have a 25- to 35-per-cent escape rate.
However, participants who escape within the time limit will have a chance to solve a bonus puzzle.
“The bonus puzzle is next-level ridiculously difficult, and if they solve that, then they have a chance to sit down with a CSE recruiter,” he said.
CSE said the partnership is being done to raise awareness of the organization and attract more talent to work for agency.
“This kind of recruiting and awareness initiative is a first for us,” CSE spokeswoman Laura Payton said in an email.
Payton said a 2017 survey found only three per cent of Canadians could name CSE as Canada’s agency responsible for cyber defence.
“We’re aiming to change that,” she said. “We want to reach Canadians who have the skills we’re looking for who may not have heard of CSE or ever considered a career in Canada’s security and intelligence community.”
Wilson said the project was a year in the making.
Participants will have the chance to crack codes in The Recruit starting early September with bookings opening Aug. 22. lcarroll@postmedia.com