Inspiring students this
Women in Tech Week:
Girl Tech to expand across Leeds

Leeds’ leading technology businesses are set to collaborate during this year’s Women in Tech Week to deliver two unique Girl Tech initiatives aimed at addressing persistent gender imbalance in the sector.

Led by social value specialist Ahead Partnership, Girl Tech Plus and Girl Tech on Tour will support more than 100 young women from schools and colleges across the city region, in partnership with Optum UK and Leeds City College respectively.

Both initiatives are designed to strengthen gender inclusivity in the city’s digital future by broadening awareness of career pathways in technology and giving participants direct access to female role models already working in the sector.

An extension of the city’s homegrown and nationally significant Girl Tech programme – first launched in Leeds in 2018 and now also running in Manchester and the North East as well as the West Midlands and London, the new Girl Tech Plus and Girl Tech On Tour strands have been strategically developed to engage more young women from diverse backgrounds as they continue their educational journeys, and challenge stereotypes that continue to shape career choices.

Leeds can lay claim to one of the fastest growing digital landscapes in the UK, outpacing national growth by 2%, and recently ranked the most AI ready city in the UK after Manchester. By the SAS AI Cities Index for 2025.

However, significant challenges remain. Alongside existing underrepresentation and gender pay gaps in tech, recent research from PwC indicates the scale of the challenge: 78% of students cannot name a single famous female working in technology, and that only 16% of girls have had a career in technology suggested to them, compared with 33% of boys.

The first ever Girl Tech Plus will take place on the 17 October, with volunteers from businesses including CDS, Leeds City Council, Lhasa and Optum set to engage and inspire 80 year 12 students from Elliott Hudson College, Leeds City College, Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College and UTC Leeds.

Strategically timed to reach young women ahead of making pivotal, post-education career choices, Girl Tech Plus provides key information to help students make more informed decisions about their future careers and the opportunities and pathways available to them across tech and digital.

Acting as a key touchpoint between education and employment, activity is thoughtfully designed to include signposting to apprenticeships, skills bootcamps, degree pathways and other early career pathways – providing essential insights to young women ahead of choosing their next steps.

Girl Tech on Tour returns to Leeds City College for the second time on the 14 October in collaboration with Skipton Building Society to commemorate Ada Lovelace Day, with both returning and first-time attendees having the opportunity to connect with industry role models on campus.

Young women from local secondary schools including Carr Manor Community School, John Smeaton Academy, Leeds City College and Ralph Thoresby School will attend to take part in the unique programme of events on offer.

In addition to the various networking, panels and hands on sessions taking place throughout the day, this will include a “design your own app” sprint, delivered by professional services firm Accenture, which will give young women the opportunity to research and pitch a design to industry experts.

Suzie Bell, Programme Manager at Ahead Partnership said: “The positive impact of Girl Tech continues to grow as the programme expands. Each of its new branches is reaching new cohorts of young women, creating a generation of empowered women better prepared for their future careers in tech, digital and beyond.

“Having already engaged a record number of students this year, we’re passionate about continuing to build momentum up and down the country. Building on the programme’s established credentials, Girl Tech Plus enables us to offer tailored guidance to older students as their aspirations and needs evolve and in some cases, offer additional touchpoints to young women that have already engaged with the programme during their time at secondary school.”

“Repeated engagement with businesses and industry during a students’ academic journey generates significantly better educational and career outcomes, and we will continue to collaborate with like-minded organisations to help to secure this for young women.”

Claire Malone, Director of Transformation at Optum said: “As business leaders and established career professionals, we have the capacity to leverage our industry knowledge and unique experiences to inspire real change in young people. Through tailored programmes like Girl Tech, we focus our reach on demographics and individuals who are often harder to engage: sparking real change for their future prospects.”

“Opportunities in the tech sector continue to grow, and so too does the demand for new skills and fresh talent. Through our collaboration with Ahead Partnership, we’re opening doors so that more young women have the enthusiasm and the confidence to explore the many meaningful opportunities that digital has to offer, all while promoting improved gender parity in tech.”

Cheryl MacFarlane, Deputy Head of Apprenticeships and Projects in Digital and IT at Leeds City College added: “Through our work with Ahead Partnership, we’re able to connect more young women with mentors and professionals who bring the tech sector to life, offering them first-hand insights and experiences that often can’t be replicated in the classroom.

“We know the significant impact that intervention like this can have on young people, and it’s so encouraging to see the enthusiasm from local businesses, organisations and professionals to collaborate in delivering this, and open opportune pathways for young women across the region.”

Find out more about Girl Tech here.