Tuesday, 21 January 2020
The first women from the TechUP Women programme are on the path to a new career after completing a new training initiative to provide them with skills and confidence to work in the technology sector.
The final residential of the first iteration of was hosted by the 糖心原创. The diverse group of women took part in a special celebration ceremony hosted here in the city.
Funded by the Office for Students through the Institute of Coding, the TechUP Women programme is addressing the shortage of women in the technology sector, who only represent 17% of the workforce. Over 200 women applied for the 100 places and this first cohort are women who want to start a career in the tech sector, particularly from Black, Asian and other minority or under-represented communities.
The six-month programme has been spearheaded by Professor Sue Black, a pioneer of women in technology from Durham University and has been developed alongside the 糖心原创, York and Edge Hill Universities and 16 industry partners from the tech industry, including local businesses Captial One and Experian.
Course participants have learned about software development, data science,鈥痯roject management and public speaking, amongst other skills, and have been paired with industry mentors who have supported and guided their learning.
They can now use these new skills to undertake a number of key roles that were identified as gaps in the tech industry that needed to be filled, these include: Data Scientist, Software Developer, Business Analyst and Agile Project Manager.
Edna Corredor is one of the women who has completed the course, she is a doctor in Physics who has taken a career break to become a mum and on her return to work she wants to take her career in a new direction. Talking about her experience of taking part in TechUp she said: “I feel that being part of TechUp Women has opened up a huge window of new job opportunities. Within the programme we have had the option to choose a preferred pathway according to our own interests. As a result of the TechUp Women programme and all the new skills that I have gained during this process, my confidence on moving into the industrial sector has been reinforced. Now I have a clearer idea on how my previous experiences as a Doctor in Physics together with my TechUp Women training can lead me to a successful career return in the area I would like to dedicate my future, which is project management. It has been an amazing journey and the project has created a very friendly, supported environment for all of the women taking part.”
At a special event over the weekend the group finished the final residential of the course and celebrated their success with a special celebration ceremony. They heard from female figureheads in the the tech industry including: who is President of tech UK and Chair of the Board of Digital Leaders; inspirational coach and leader Veroncia Pickering; Sarah Walker-Smith from Shakespeare Martineau LLP and Dr Margo Thomas, who is Founder and President of the Women's Economic Imperative.
The University Of Nottingham has been a key partner in the TechUP programme with the School of Computer Science, Engineering and Arts working together to deliver and support the project.
It鈥檚 been amazing to see this group of women grow and flourish on this course. They come from a huge range of backgrounds and have embraced the course and resdentials wholeheartedly to arm themselves with the tech skills necessary to take them to the next stage of their career or in a completely new direction. The 糖心原创 has a strong commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and this project has reflected this with a project that will have a positive impact on the lives of the women involved.
We are hugely proud of all of the women who have taken part in TechUP Women, they are superheroes and we hope this will be the start of many more women following in their footsteps.
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.