Be the change you want to see

Scotland’s technology sector is one of the country’s most exciting, creative and successful areas to work. Yet far too few women are choosing to pursue digital technology.

Digital technology jobs are everywhere. Industries across Scotland now need people with digital technology skills in order to grow, remain competitive and innovate. And with areas like cyber security in the spotlight, those with the right technology skills are in demand more than ever.

Tackling the gender gap

Despite this, far too few women are choosing to study and work in digital technology. The report, Tackling the Technology Gender Gap Together looks at how girls and women can be encouraged to look at tech as an attractive and exciting career choice.

Positive female role models and mentors have been found to have a profound effect on encouraging young girls to pursue technology. That’s why the Digital Technologies Skills Group in partnership with Girl Geek Scotland are seeking young women who have chosen to study, work in and enjoy technology to volunteer as role models and mentors for school age girls.

Become a role model or mentor

We’ve created a resource pack to help you get started. The pack includes a training webinar, a directory of organisations that you can volunteer with, guidance materials, classroom resources, and case studies.

You can download everything you need below:

Webinar

A recording of a live webinar covering the whole project, introducing all of the materials and explaining the key topics:

Role Modelling and Mentoring Webinar >

Role model directory

A list of organisations and initiatives from across Scotland that can help you become a role model or mentor. We’ve also included three case studies of organisation’s sharing best practice:

Role Model Directory >

Case Study One (Active Coding Academies) >

Case Study Two (Hewlett Packard Enterprise) >

Case Study Three (Stemettes) >

Guidance materials

From why it’s important that we have role models, to talking about discrimination and gender bias, we’ve put together some background on how and why role models can help:

Guidance on becoming a digital technology role model or mentor to girls >

Guidance on talking about the gender gap in digital technology in schools >

Video one: Talking To A Teenage Audience >

Video two: Talking About Digital Technology >

Video three: Talking About Gender Inequalities >

Video four: Preparing the Practicalities and Logistics >