Leicester women-in-tech Development Expert calls for more action to retain women in industry
The Government is backing a £4m scheme to open doors for women looking to break into tech
A £4-million government-backed initiative is set to open doors for hundreds of women looking to break into the tech industry.
The TechFirst Women’s programme offers paid placements, support for women returning to work, and early career exposure for teenage girls, giving them a head start in the fast-growing tech sector.
Susan O'Connor is a Leicester-based Leadership Development Expert for women in tech. She welcomes the initiative:
"There is this unconscious, or sometimes conscious bias that women aren't 'techy' enough. This new initiative is really going to help with some of the problems we're seeing."
However, while attracting women to tech is important, keeping them in the industry is equally crucial; which is the hardest part of the challenge.
O'Connor says there needs to be more awareness of development roles, giving women and girls a better understanding of the opportunities beyond entry-level jobs.
She added:
"You don't just have to be a coder to work in tech. Although it's a good way to get into the industry, I would really like to see more work done to help women stay in the industry."
O’Connor is the CEO of Shift-Left Limited and runs a leadership coaching organisation that helps women build the confidence to move into senior roles within the tech industry.
She began her own career as a developer and worked her way up to become an Operations Director. Her coaching is rooted in that experience, and she believes that while attracting women to tech is important, keeping them in the industry is just as crucial.
Showing women the full range of roles is key, as female perspectives matter in designing, developing, and creating products.
Supporters hope TechFirst Women will not only bring more women into tech but also help them build lasting, fulfilling careers — breaking down barriers that have existed in the industry for decades.
Ministers say the initiative aims to tackle long-standing barriers and give women a fair chance to succeed in the tech sector.