Trailblazing tech programme
inspires young women
across the West Midlands

A leading ESG specialist has teamed up with female role models in tech and innovation to showcase the sector to young women across the West Midlands, ahead of their choosing their GCSE options. The aim of Girl Tech West Midlands is to provide them with the awareness and connections to pursue a career in the tech and innovation sector, if they wish to do so.

The interactive digital insights day was designed by the leading ESG specialist, Ahead Partnership. By introducing young people to the sector’s growing wealth of roles and opportunities, it aims not only to foster their personal development, but to also help employers build a diverse pipeline of talent for the future.

The day, which took place on Friday, gave 67 young people from six secondary schools across the region access to an impressive catalogue of events, including panel sessions, workshops and networking with role models and industry leaders.

Ahead Partnership delivered this year’s event with the support of several sector-leading partners and employers, including Accenture, Currys, Intercity, Goldman Sachs and Pinsent Masons.  Representatives from participating organisations had the unique opportunity to network and share personal insights with the next generation of young, female and non-binary talent, encouraging them to consider a future career in technology and innovation.

Becky Patel, Head of Education and Learning at Tech She Can, delivered the opening speech. The talk addressed the variety of school subjects and areas of interest which correlate with career opportunities in digital, to help participants identify themselves within it.

Girl Tech West Midlands is a flagship event within Ahead Partnership’s Growing Talent West Midlands programme, which has engaged over 28,799 young people to date with support from over 446 business volunteers. The initiative aims to address the lack of female representation in the tech and digital sectors by providing young women with essential first- hand insights to explore it further.

Led and funded by some of the region’s top employers, the programme harnesses the combined resources of key employers and partners to inspire and encourage young people aged 11-18 years to consider different career opportunities, address specific skills gaps, and create an inclusive, diverse and skilled talent pipeline.

Tom Morrissey, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs said:

“We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to participate in Girl Tech West Midlands for another year, sharing all that the industry has to offer with the incredible young women involved in this year’s event.

“As a sector, we all win through supporting programmes like Girl Tech. Banking, tech and digital sectors all demand a strong future workforce, and we need to make sure that the next generation can see themselves within this, no matter their background.

“We have seen such enthusiasm from all of the participants and are truly excited to see the long-term impact of these efforts.”

Stephanie Burras CBE, Chief Executive at Ahead Partnership, said:

“We are so thankful to have seen the best of digital and tech coming together to support young women in the region and showcase the incredible opportunities available to them within the sector at such a pivotal time in their learning.

“The West Midlands digital sector was recently named the UK’s fastest-growing region, and is on track to create an extra 52,000 digital tech jobs and grow by £2.7 billion. We want to make sure that opportunities within this sector are visible and accessible to all young people, and are proud to have experienced this event with organisations who share this vision for the future of the industry.”

Ahead Partnership delivered this instalment of Girl Tech West Midlands in the year it celebrates its 20^th anniversary, marking two decades of continued growth within the ESG and social mobility sectors for the business.