Girl Tech: Shaping Tomorrow’s Tech Leaders

Let’s be honest: the tech sector has made progress on diversity, but there's still more ground to cover.

Over the years, meaningful conversations and initiatives have helped drive progress, yet there are still opportunities to better support women and underrepresented genders in building thriving careers in digital.

The need to keep moving forward is clear. According to Women in Tech, just 29% of the tech workforce in the UK are women, and 76% of those surveyed reported experiencing gender bias or discrimination in the workplace.

“Only 5% of leadership roles in tech are held by women. As business leaders, we have a responsibility to change this narrative and commit to paving a more inclusive path for the next generation, and for our industry alike,” said Kate Watson, Social Value Lead from Netcompany UK, headline sponsor of Ahead Partnership’s Girl Tech.

The gender gap in STEM isn’t about a lack of talent or ambition. In fact, many girls predicted strong grades in maths and physics still choose different paths, not because they can’t succeed, but because confidence and visibility often play a bigger role than we realise. It’s part of what’s often called the "leaky pipeline", where girls who have the potential to thrive in tech end up stepping away before they get the chance.

That’s why continued focus on visibility, representation and opportunity matters. Creating an industry where more people see themselves reflected and supported, is not just the right thing to do. It’s how we build a stronger, more innovative future together.

Girl Tech’s Role in Closing the Gap

It’s exactly why programmes like Ahead Partnership’s Girl Tech matter, a standout event designed to flip the script and bring the next generation of digital leaders into the room.

Last week, we took part in the Girl Tech West Midlands programme, which brought together 120 female students from years 8 and 9. It gave young women the chance to meet inspiring role models, ask real world questions and explore what a career in tech could actually look like.

And the impact of Girl Tech 2024 speaks volumes:

• 100% of attendees said they now understood what skills and qualifications tech careers require (up from 66% before the event).
• 96% left feeling they wanted to pursue a digital career
• 91% felt motivated to work harder at school .

And this is where it gets exciting. Because when young people see someone who looks like them, talks like them, and works in an industry they thought wasn’t for them, something shifts. They start to believe they belong there too. That’s the spark. That’s the shift from ‘maybe’ to ‘I can’.

Shaping Tomorrow's Innovators Through Inclusion

This isn’t just a nice-to-have feel-good initiative. It’s essential to the future of the industry.

Inclusion isn’t a checkbox on a CSR report. It’s part of building a workforce that reflects the real world. If we want to solve tomorrow’s biggest problems, from cybersecurity to sustainability to digital equity, we need a generation of leaders that bring new perspectives, lived experience and fresh thinking.

Girl Tech is one of many steps in the right direction. At Intercity, we’re proud to play our part, not just at events, but in how we recruit, support and grow our people.

Change doesn’t happen overnight. But with the right conversations, the right visibility, and a bit of commitment from all of us, we can help shape a tech industry that’s fit for everyone.

For more information on Girl Tech, visit www.aheadpartnership.org.uk/girl-tech/