Women and Diversity in Tech Fest: Bringing generations together across technology and channel

The one-day event, hosted by Computing and CRN, covered inter-generational insights and the power of mentorship

The Women and Diversity in Tech and Channel Festival, which CRN and sister publication, Computing, hosted on 5 November, brought together established tech professionals and ambitious young employees to tackle the big issues facing tech workers from non-traditional backgrounds.

The one-day event covered topics including bringing the next generation of diverse employees into the tech sector, the power of mentorship and and dealing with the onset of menopause as a business executive.

The day kicked off with an exploration of how to encourage bright young minds towards a career in tech.

Gayle Thompson-Igwebike, interim director at Next Tech Girls, and Lisa Roberts, founder of Colition, put forward their journey and opinions on how to engage young women and young people in general in the tech scene.

Discussing Next Tech Girls’ mission, Thompson-Igwebike said “We empower young women to be the tech leaders and founders of tomorrow.”

Thompson-Igwebike said that there is a misconception in tech and more specifically software engineering from the get-go, in education.

“I decided to study software engineering rather than law, because I thought it’d be easier.

It out to be a huge mistake.”

Next Tech Girls, the non-profit she is a part of, is trying to inspire the young girls of today, because women today have the shorthand of the straw when it comes to their careers.

“We partner with tech companies to bring tech events, workshops and work experience for young girls around the country.

“It’s important to tell girls, even from a very young age, that they can do it.”

She added that “there is this preconceived idea of the tech industry is exclusively filled with men, so young girls get discouraged or don’t even consider it.

It is a male-dominated industry, but it is changing, and they, more than anyone else, can do that.

“When I started, I often, if not always, found myself to be the only woman in the room.”

Having previously worked in media and healthcare, she said her professional reconversion has been tough as “there is a taboo on changing careers, especially for women, as starting all over when you’re not young can be seen as a blocking factor.”

Roberts, founder of Colition and IT vet who previously worked for companies such as Rubrik and Cisco, said they are currently recruiting ambassadors “to go out to schools across the country to try and inspire young people, young students, to choose a career in the tech industry.

“It’s fantastic to see how much impact we can have when going to these schools, by sharing insights, sharing our journeys, and eventually inspiring students to consider a career in the tech channel.

“It's mind-blowing to see how many myths can and need to be broken to get rid of stereotypes!”

She placed an emphasis on the importance mentoring had in her journey, and how it is still a necessity: “It’s not about individuality; it’s a collective journey.”

“Mentors have pushed and helped me throughout my career, removing barriers I couldn’t have removed myself.”

“When I started, I was always the only female in every room, but I found male allies who became my mentors.

“As times have changed, I have met female leaders who inspired me, who I’m working with and who are helping me throughout my journey, and this cooperation is what we need to be supported in this industry.”

Both speakers insisted that young women are “super hungry to work,” if given the right education and the same opportunities as their male counterparts.

“We’re trying to have that conversation about technology skills, about the importance of learning these and how success can be reached through education and the right programmes,” said Roberts.

Read on for the day’s insights on mentorship and the career impact of the menopause...

The importance of mentorship – and how to find or become a mentor

The day continued with an exploration of mentorship and some practical tips on the mentor-mentee relationship.

Kavita Reddi, head of BD at Voxta emphasised: “There’s huge differences between mentorship and sponsorship. Mentorship is an ongoing commitment where someone actually is committed to your journey in the same way as you are, whose goals are aligned with you.”

She also stressed the importance of mentors as “living, breathing examples” that help bridge the gap between one’s current role and aspirations.

The discussion covered practical advice on finding and leveraging networks, such as Women on Boards and Women Who Code, to build connections and access mentorship.

“Identifying the people within your organisation and outside who can be your sponsors, your mentors, to actually help enable that journey,” noted Reddi.

A critical point was made about women in tech leadership, with Reddi pointing out: “50 per cent of women emerge from degrees in STEM, but only 11 per cent of management in tech are women,” emphasising the need for mentors to guide women through career transitions.

Personal stories illustrated the powerful impact of mentorship.

Stephanie Ozuo, founder of Cover my CV, recounted how a mentor helped her navigate her university journey: “ I was considering going to a top uni to study the course. But she suggested going to vocational uni instead because the courses were more practical and more flexible.…

“It was a powerful example of mentorship, and we have still kept that relationship today.”

Fiona McKenzie, CEO of Revere, shared how networking in CEO groups provided invaluable cross-industry perspectives and alleviated imposter syndrome, emphasising that “it’s lonely at the top” and how community can combat isolation.

The panel emphasised the power of the network – not just for the mentee, but also for mentors.

Finally, the speakers showcased how finding and nurturing mentorship relationships is crucial for career growth and with McKenzie concluding that “the benefits for both mentor and mentee are immense—it’s all about getting out there and connecting.”

The menopause, its perils and opportunities

Mirroring the chronology of a woman’s career journey, the afternoon commenced with a panel tackling the menopause.

As women age, they are less likely to be promoted or considered for leadership positions compared to men of the same age group.

According to The University of Liverpool - Management School age discrimination for women starts at least ten years earlier than for men.

But things have to change as these women have a lot to offer.

“It’s experience. It’s life skills. It's things that time in itself has taught us and what we've learned from. Like our mistakes, hopefully,” Denise Iron, account executive at Highgate IT Solutions listed to the audience as qualities an older generation offer.

Annabel Berry, co-founder of training and coaching start-up Leading Cyber, agreed experience sets them apart, adding that sharing these learnings is another benefit.

“We all often feel we're the only person going through things, and actually, when we hear other people sharing the same type of experiences, that's been really heartening.

“You're not quite as alone as you might think you are.”

Women can often be faced with double standards in the workplace when it comes to perceptions of age.

“If you look at the average age of somebody joining a board, it's about 60 years old in the UK,” Berry highlighted.

“But I've had some very talented chief execs in my network who have been told that they're too old for the same jobs at 55.

“There's almost a little bit of a fear about older women.

“That has come through in coaching sessions I've done with people who are inheriting a team with older people who have the perception of them being difficult to manage, because of their experience.”

Berry added that, within cybersecurity in particular, the percentage of women in senior leadership roles make up 12 per cent.

But having decision makers with the same backgrounds and ways of thinking can act as a disadvantage.

“The more different people you have in leadership means more are looking at things in a different way, have a greater understanding, and can educate and help people see different people in different ways.

“I think that is a real barrier in terms of helping to forge a path and helping other people that come behind you.”

Bringing generations together

Iron outlined to the audience how she believes a workforce of all generations can become better allies for each other.

“I think if we could set time aside in different businesses, either weekly or monthly to come together and listen, rather than talk, to different generations and work together to help them feel more comfortable.

“It doesn’t matter about technology or any business you’re working in. Unless you feel comfortable in your environment and the people you’re working with you will not be productive.”

This “isn’t rocket science”, Angela Whitty CEO of Ampito Group voiced.

“We all have different life experiences, and the younger generation can certainly teach me a huge amount about the use of technology.”

While Whitty stated she has skills and experience she can bring to the table for a younger group of people.

“But not to say ‘you shouldn't do that, because we tried that back in the 90s and it didn't work’. But instead to say ‘we tried it like this, but now, with the advancements of technology and different processes and different practices, what about if we tried it in a slightly different way?’

“I think if we bring the people together and share experiences, I think we'd be in a lot better place.”