Session: How to Hire, Retain and Progress the Next Generation of Diverse Tech Talent
By 2025, there will be 1 qualified woman for every 128 tech jobs in software, data and cybersecurity. Globally, we are beyond the crisis point for hiring women into tech roles. However, it is key to consider that retaining female talent within organisations is of equal importance if we are to close the tech gender gap.
We asked our community of over 120,000 woman coders why they had left jobs in the past. 53% said "no clear career pathway or progression", 49% said "unfair pay" and 32% said "toxic company culture". Women are still being treated differently in the workplace and it is leading to a huge talent gap in our technical teams and leadership positions.
In this session, Anna Brailsford, CEO of Code First Girls, highlights key actions that CIOs, CTOs and senior tech leaders can take to nurture female talent within their teams and empower the next generation of diverse tech talent. She will share data and insights from Code First Girls' community of over 120,000 women coders, instructors and mentors, shedding light on achievable ways that global teams can diversify and build a company culture of inclusion for their workforce of the future.
Bio
Anna Brailsford, CEO of Code First Girls, has recently appeared on Sky News’ flagship business programme to discuss the lack of diversity in tech. The business has also had further national coverage in leading publications such as The Times, The Guardian and The Telegraph, which has highlighted Code First Girls’ role in championing gender diversity in the global tech market. Code First Girls has just closed a £4.5million Series A, the lionshare of which came from female angel investors and male allies, including the CEOs of leading companies like Bloom & Wild, Wise and Clearscore. Our investors recognise that supporting diversity in the tech industry is the right thing to do and that Code First Girls has found the right way to do it. In addition to working with more than 100 businesses, including NatWest, BAE Systems and Nike, Code First Girls works with the UK government to improve its tech talent pipeline, partnering with departments such as GCHQ, The Cabinet Office and No.10 Downing Street.