Representation matters:
How inspirational female
role models can be key to success

Women continue to face considerable barriers to equality in the workplace. Underrepresented within leadership roles and within priority and emerging sectors such as tech, digital and sustainability, we are committed to showcasing routes into these career paths to young women of all backgrounds.

In advocating for better opportunities and outcomes for the female workforce of the future – representation matters significantly. For a young woman to see role models that they can identify with in successful and powerful positions, is to see that path open to themselves.

Through several of our initiatives, we are helping young women to secure access to inspirational role models working across a range of sectors. This is something that needs to be prioritised at an early stage, prior to significant choices being made, such as GCSE options, which could impact considerably on their future career paths.

With young people potentially taking their careers into their own hands as early as aged 14, it is the responsibility of business leaders to share the necessary insights and guidance with the next generation to allow them to make more informed decisions about their next steps – and role models are an important means to sharing this. To mark International Women’s Day, we are focusing on the importance of inspirational female role models by reflecting on our continued partnership with MEPC, having recently worked together to host our annual Women of the Future event at its Wellington Place development in Leeds.

This International Women’s Day, we’re reflecting on our continued partnership with MEPC, having recently worked together to host our annual Women of the Future event at its Wellington Place development in Leeds.

Scheduled at a pivotal time in the academic calendar, Women of the Future aims to provide essential information and insights about careers paths and opportunities for those who are currently in education, and facing decisions which might impact their future career journeys.

By connecting young women with a diverse range of female role-models from various sectors, the event helps to equip its participants with the necessary tools and understanding to make more informed decisions about their career, taking guidance and inspiration from the professionals involved.

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “Accelerate Action”, a motivational call to action, to inspire young women, create clearer pathways to success, and provide everyone with equal opportunities, regardless of background.

We’ve seen first-hand how long-term careers programmes such as the Women of the Future events and Enrichment Festivals that we deliver alongside MEPC, can have a lasting, transformational impact on the young people that take part.

We spoke to some recent participants in the programmes to find out more. Sawera, Lexie, and Kimberley each attended the Women of the Future event and the Enrichment Festival at Wellington Place, participating in a series of workshops, enrichment activities, and career talks throughout each day.

These young women are reflecting on how being introduced to new environments, role models and opportunities at these events has had a lasting impact on their confidence, their goals and their personal and academic development.

With their career interests and goals ranging from healthcare, politics, neuroscience and entrepreneurship, the young women are aligned in their strong sense of ambition and drive. All three of them attest to the importance of their attendance at the above events in developing their newfound commitment to their goals, and gaining the confidence to pursue them.

In particular, they cite the role models they met at Wellington Place in helping them to better visualise what their future careers might look like, and reflect that seeing relatable figures in successful positions has helped them to believe in their own ability to secure this for themselves.

This is well recognised by those behind the initiative, with Dominique Murray, Associate Marketing Director at MEPC, explaining: “We’re aware of the many barriers that young people feel when thinking about their futures. Events that break down barriers, and that carve out the time and space for young people to feel empowered, confident, and heard, are therefore extremely important.”

Representation plays a significant role in shaping young people’s career aspirations, especially for young women. A recent study by LinkedIn found that 43% of professional women believe they would have been more successful if they had had a role model in the workplace, and 55% of professionals feel there is a lack of relatable role models.

Kimberley, who participated in last year’s event, shared how meeting a mentor in the legal sector has had a profound impact on her. Seeing a successful woman who shared her cultural background challenged Kimberley’s perceptions of what was possible for her future:

“She was from the same place as I was from, and it shook me, because you don’t usually see people from my culture going into work like this.”

Helping her to challenge her own perceptions of what her future might look like, Kimberley also gained guidance on how to speak to her family about wanting to follow career paths that she had considered to be less traditional.

Now currently working towards securing her place at college, Kimberley aspires to become a Pediatric Occupational Therapist; while currently pursuing this role within the healthcare sector, it was meeting the mentor from the legal sector at Wellington Place that helped Kimberley to push forward with this goal:

“It made me open my eyes to see that I can do it if I really wanted to.”

Dominique Murray at MEPC recognises the significance of making introductions to role models from a diverse range of backgrounds:

“At Wellington Place, we are in a unique position to bring together representatives from multiple organisations based here, from different backgrounds and at different stages of their careers, and create an extremely positive mentoring experience for the students.”

Megan Lipp, Head of Growth at Ahead Partnership, said: “The feedback we have seen from these young women is a testament to the mission we work towards; by building meaningful partnerships between businesses and young people, everybody wins.”

“Their feedback exemplifies the positive influence of workplace encounters for young women. The stories shared and the experiences gained through the events have allowed these young women to see new possibilities for their futures, and are now more determined than ever to achieve their goals.

“These stories are a reminder of the importance of early intervention, particularly those who might otherwise lack access to such opportunities. Where we are seeing the revoking of DE&I initiatives globally, it is crucial that we continue to advocate for their importance, and extend our thanks to MEPC and our young participants for helping us to do so.”