Netcompany renews commitment to drive digital inclusion

An IT services firm has renewed its commitment to fostering digital skills and gender inclusivity among young people, launching expanded programmes to inspire the next generation of tech talent.

Netcompany UK, part of the fastest-growing IT services company in Northern Europe which is headquartered in Copenhagen and employs almost 8,000 people across ten countries, has pledged a further three years of collaboration with Leeds-based Ahead Partnership, extending initiatives that have already reached thousands of students since 2021.

As an anchor sponsor of Ahead Partnership’s Growing Talent Digital Leeds programme, Netcompany has supported efforts to bridge the digital skills gap and encourage more diverse participation in the tech sector.

Kate Watson, social value lead at Netcompany UK, said: “We have already seen significant growth in the ambitions and confidence of those young people that we have engaged through our work with Ahead Partnership, and have taken much inspiration from their ideas and creativity.

“Our partnership will allow us to build on the success of our longstanding collaboration, expanding into new regions across the country, strengthening our existing connections with young people and schools, and ultimately investing in the future of the wider sector.”

The renewed partnership will expand the flagship Girl Tech programme into London, Manchester and Newcastle, providing year 8 students with role models and pathways to explore technology careers. Additionally, the Smart Cities Challenge, which tasks students with designing future-focused, tech-enabled urban spaces, will now engage schools in Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle.

Suzie Bell, programme manager at Ahead Partnership, added: “We are incredibly excited to be expanding the scope of our work with Netcompany, which will enable us to reach hundreds more young people across the UK, creating a more representative workforce within the tech sector, while also building a strong pipeline of future talent.

“We are so proud of the influence that Girl Tech has had on young women across the country, and this expansion signals significant growth for the initiative, and its participants alike.

“This investment marks a fantastic moment for both of our organisations, and we look forward to seeing the impact of our continued work together.”

The initiative come as concerns grow about declining female participation in computer science, with a recent report by Kings College London finding that female participation in Computer Science GCSE had fallen by half in less than a decade.

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