Ahead Partnership | Ahead Partnership and partners win Leeds Digital Festival Award

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05 Oct, 22

We are thrilled to reveal that our Growing Talent Digital Leeds programme was the worthy winner of the Diversity & Inclusion Award at this year’s Leeds Digital Festival.

Recognising the impact the programme has had on over 12,000 young people across the city in its first year alone, this award celebrates the wonderful work that sponsors AND Digital, Infinity Works, Netcompany, BJSS, PwC, Leeds City Council, Leeds City College and Leeds Trinity University and their volunteers have done to encourage and inspire future tech talent in Leeds.

Judges were looking for organisations or initiatives pushing the boundaries for diversity and inclusion in the tech community in Leeds and felt that Growing Talent Digital Leeds was the best example of a scheme changing Leeds for the better through inclusion for all in tech, and driving the diversity agenda.

We are delighted to receive this award on behalf of all of the partners and volunteers who have funded and taken part in the huge range of activities delivered in schools and colleges right across Leeds. This programme is designed to address specific skills gaps in digital and develop a pipeline of talent by targeting young people that do not currently see themselves in these jobs.

We have prioritised young people from areas and backgrounds that are under-represented and broken down barriers of perception and prejudice so that they can understand their place in digital. As a result, 90% of the young people involved say taking part in the programme has helped them understand the skills needed to work in digital and 79% say they believe they have a future in digital.

We want to thank everyone involved in its success, everyone who has been involved in those masterclasses, careers panels, online resources and festivals. Together we have shown the true power of partnership and we’re immensely proud of what we have achieved so far.

Megan Lipp, Head of Development, Ahead Partnership