Females represent only 15% of the technology sector. Empiric trying to change this through our Next Tech Girls (NTG) initiative. NTG’s mission is to tackle this disparity at the grass-roots level and improve gender equality in the technology sector by providing 5,000 girls with meaningful tech work experience. If we want to see change, we must drive it. Next Tech Girls partners with companies to deliver tech-focused work experiences in the UK, providing school girls (years 10-12) with insights into tech careers and the numerous opportunities available to them. Not only does this inspire young students, but it helps raise awareness of the gender imbalance in the industry and promotes a culture of inclusivity.
NTG is investing directing in their education and opening up the opportunities of technology to a demographic that is not currently represented or being encouraged to consider a career in technology.
NTG is giving hundreds of girls valuable experience and showing them what they can achieve. By generating interest, NTG hopes to get them to study relevant subjects in further education and at university. The impact this is having on the community is that it is creating a more upwardly socio-mobile group of women.
NTG has been a great success. With businesses including DWP, Virgin, Microsoft, BBC, EA, IBM, Deloitte and Home Office becoming a NTG partner, we have successfully placed hundreds (so far) of girls in meaningful work experience and our initiative is growing and growing.
There are no barriers in technology and NTG helps opens up future career opportunities to young girls and will help improve female representation within the industry.
What the students say about NTG:
“Thank you for finding me the amazing work experience at the Microsoft Accelerator. It was an amazing opportunity [and I] learnt fantastic new things that I will definitely use at university and in my professional career.”
Next Tech Girl placement, Barnet and Southgate College
“The favourite thing about my work experience was seeing the outcome of the project we had completed - it was an incredibly proud moment”
Next Tech Girl placement Heartlands High School Work experience at Expedia
“I learned how to use Java, Ruby, and how to create our own website which was thrilling”
Next Tech Girl placement, All Saints Catholic School, Technology College Work experience at 8th Light
What the firms say about NTG:
“The students responded well to the tasks we gave them and some of their work is now being used by our teams. They found the placement beneficial and made a positive impact in a short period of time.”
Alex Long, Jefferies International
