Member Article

Female IT apprentices click ‘start’ on Tech careers

An IT training academy in North Shields has seen positive growth in the number of female apprentices through its doors.

As the first programme of its kind in the region the Wolf Academy was setup to help combat the IT skills shortage. Providing training to meet a range growing digital needs that are typically in short supply, the academy provides the skills required for roles such as programmers, developers and analysts.

Launched by software development firm the Wolf Group, the academy has now reached a significant milestone, with 20 per cent of its apprentices being female.

Four months into her IT apprenticeship, Amy Topping, said: “I’m beginning to feel a lot more prepared to enter full-time employment. There was a lot of pressure to go to university after school and a misconception that the best jobs are saved just for those with degrees.

“I can say from first-hand experience that this isn’t the case and would urge more teenage girls, like myself, to consider taking up apprenticeships in the IT industry.”

This comes as a recent study from employer body The Tech Partnership revealed just 16 per cent of the IT industry is made up of women and the gender gap is worsening.

In September 2014 the UK became the first G20 country to include computing and coding in the curriculum from primary school onwards.

A report by the education trust Centre for British Teachers (CfBT) found that only 15 per cent of applicants to computing courses were female, while the percentage of women employed as IT and Telecoms professionals in the UK has declined from 22 per cent in 2001 to just 18 per cent in 2011.

Managing director of the Wolf Group, Marc Fowler, said: “We hope that by releasing our diversity figures we can encourage other businesses to do the same. Demonstrating transparency, acknowledging failings and committing to change through real action is a vital part of transforming the IT industry in the region.

“I would encourage more women to join the ICT sector because there a significant number of opportunities in all kinds of disciplines that you may not anticipate. Notably I believe that women can bring with them a broad range of soft skills needed to interpret customer needs, alongside their technical know-how.”

Recently there has been a greater call for girls and women to become more involved in technology with media attention and events promoting female participation in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) at an all-time high.

Currently the Wolf Academy has around 20 students enrolled on its programme. It’s hoped the initiative will not only reduce unemployment but also help to create and sustain a reputation for innovation, technology and software development in the region.

The Wolf Group has been established for almost 16 years and provides IT consultancy and software solutions to SMEs and corporates. For more information visit: www.wolfgroup.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Wolf Group .