As the ±«Óãtv ramps up , we attended two events specifically targeted at getting more women working in the technology industry. We aimed to showcase the great opportunities presented by careers in technology, including getting to play with a 3D printer!
Diversity in tech is a big issue right now. With diversity comes a mix of ideas and, as shown by Scott Page in his book The Difference, diverse perspectives are often the key to solving complex problems – an essential part of any technology position.
Equally, lack of diversity represents a huge loss of potential. There’s no good reason why tech should only appeal to a narrow spectrum of people, and until it becomes more inclusive the industry is missing critical contributions.
Diversity is also something very important to the ±«Óãtv, as the more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity. But it’s something that we know needs improvement across the tech industry. As an example, when thinking about diversity of gender, .
To address some of these issues, the Diversity and Inclusion team in ±«Óãtv Future Media recently ran some events aimed at women – a 'Women in Tech Networking and Development Day', and 'Technacool', aimed at teenage girls. We were excited to take part in both, running workshops introducing R&D, rapid prototyping and 3D printing.
The first event - the Women in Tech Networking and Development Day - was aimed at women already working in technology, and was an opportunity to showcase the work we do at ±«Óãtv R&D. The day kicked off with a ‘Think Tank’ hosted by ±«Óãtv Breakfast’s Steph McGovern where attendees discussed their experiences as tech professionals with input from a panel of experts. This was followed by a variety of workshops and masterclasses, with Kate Russell, tech journalist & ±«Óãtv Click presenter, closing the day with her inspirational talk ‘’.
The second event - Technacool - was a chance to showcase to school girls what a technical career might look like, and inspire them to choose STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) related GCSE options. Around eighty Year 9 girls were invited from schools across London to , where they took part in various workshops and got the chance to take a ‘Tech Tour’ of the building and studios. The workshops on offer included titles like ‘Strictly Come Coding’ and ‘To App or Not to App’; each aiming to give a different perspective on technical careers. The workshop we hosted introduced the girls to working using rapid prototyping techniques. We asked the girls to use 3D modelling software to design a keyring themed around a ±«Óãtv show, and then iterate on that design based on feedback and requirements. We brought along a 3D printer and so we were even able to print some of the keyrings!
Both events were excellent, and the feedback matched: there were lots of great people and activities - and both were really important. In the short term, reaching out to women in tech is valuable and fosters a supportive network and culture. In the longer term, it’s vital that we continue to overhaul the image of technology careers for girls to address the current gender imbalance. Thanks to the Diversity and Inclusion team in ±«Óãtv Future Media for two amazing events, and look out for another coming up soon.
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