techUK
Printable version

techUK President calls on industry to take action on International Women’s Day

Today techUK marks International Women’s Day, celebrating the achievements of women in many walks of life.

Today, techUK President Jacqueline de Rojas calls on the tech industry to take action to urgently tackle the gender gap in tech, outlining 10 actions companies can take today to support women in the industry. In a powerful call to action to companies across the tech industry today, Jacqueline said:

"Our industry is full of amazing women – creating, building, and leading our industry. Women are creating new products & services that are changing the world. However, sadly it is still the case that less than a quarter of those working in tech are female. The business case is clear to improve this statistic: evidence shows that diversity leads to better decision-making and commercial success. By encouraging women to enter or return to the tech industry at all levels, we become more competitive and more innovative.

"That’s why today I call on our industry to take action to address the gender gap in tech. There are 10 actions companies can take today. Only together can we make a real difference.

"For the future of our industry, let’s make it happen."

Read the 10 actions tech companies can take below, and join the conversation at #techUKIWD and #IWD2016.

Inspire young women:

1. Train your staff to deliver People Like Me resources. People Like Me from WISE is a resource for ambassadors, careers advisers and others working with young people to show girls that people just like them are happy and successful working in STEM.

2. Offer an open day for school girls. Work with Your Life’s “Best School Trip” to provide opportunities to engage with the future workforce and to encourage more students to take up maths and science.

3. Get involved with code club. Code Club is a nationwide network of free volunteer-led after-school coding clubs for children aged 9-11. You can get involved by committing volunteers or by offering venues.

4. Become a Modern Muse. Modern Muse is a not-for-profit social enterprise, launched with the aim to inspire and engage the next generation of female business leaders and entrepreneurs. Sign-up as a Muse and inspire the next generation by showing young women the range of exciting career opportunities available.

5. Offer work experience opportunities to school girls. Future Tech Girls matches school girls interested in careers in the tech sector with organisations providing placements. Get in touch today to discover opportunities to host young women who are the future of our workforce.

6. Become an Apps for Good Mentor. Apps for Good are growing their community of female experts to mentor young people across the UK as they develop their own apps.

Create culture change:

7. Understand how your organisational culture has an impact. Get serious about unconscious bias training - unconscious biases are the preconceived notions we may have about an individual. Commit to training all your managers on how to recognise and minimise the impact of their own unconscious biases. This includes cultural changes within organisations to allow women to reach their potential.

8. Join techUK’s Back to Work programme. Our programme in partnership with Everywoman will help women return after a period of leave. The programme is currently piloting, and we are seeking partners as we expand.

Nurture talent:

9. Host a Getting Started Workshop. Help talented women in your company consider a board role or add a new NED role to their portfolio. techUK members receive a preferential rate.

10. Encourage your leaders to become a mentor. Structur3dpeople want to help women progress in tech and into leadership roles. Mentors can bring valuable knowledge in the field in which they work and pass on skills and knowledge to help other women grow.

Find out more about techUK’s Women in Tech programme, which focuses on four areas: Youth in Tech, Tech for Life, Challenging Industry, and Conditions for Change. If you would like to get involved and find out more, contact Doniya Soni, Programme Manager - Skills and Talent Development 
020 7331 2021 
doniya.soni@techuk.org

You can also sign up to our monthly newsletter showcasing the latest news on Women in Tech.

Channel website: http://www.techuk.org/

Share this article

Latest News from
techUK

Spotlight on women at Serco – Anita’s story