Female school leavers about to enter the world of work should consider a career in IT, according to IT Apprentice Hannah Kelly. With many IT firms looking to young people of both sexes to fill their digital skills gaps, now is the time for women to get a qualification that could lead to a career at the forefront of digital innovation.
Hannah, 26, has successfully completed an IT Professional Level 3 qualification with the support of Remit Training and with her sights firmly set on career progression, is now looking to extend her knowledge within the IT industry.
Says Hannah: “The attraction of the IT industry is the new challenge, everywhere around us IT is evolving and I want to be part of it. Providing support and guidance to customers is what I like to do and have always done and it’s been great to be able to transfer these skills to a different industry.”
Tech Week (4 – 8 July) a UK-wide event, coordinated by the Tech Partnership Company will see many organisations reaching out to thousands of young people to help inspire the next generation of tech and digital professionals. Employers are keen to use this week to encourage more women into tech to widen the UK’s tech talent pool and ensure women don’t miss out on rewarding tech careers.
Karen Price, CEO of the Tech Partnership fully agrees “It’s a big sector, it’s growing fast, it needs more people, and it needs more women. What are you waiting for? The career of a lifetime awaits.”
Hannah believes women now have the perfect chance to be at the forefront of a fast-paced sector that will continue to experience rapid growth and development, adding “I think women are equal to men in IT roles. IT is a major part of all our lives now, it would be great to see more women in roles at all levels in the industry.”
IT Apprenticeships are seen by many as critical to securing the long term future of the UK’s digital economy. Hannah agrees: “Yes, absolutely – my knowledge and skills have increased since becoming an Apprentice. There was a vast amount I didn’t know about IT and I’ve been able to apply my new digital skills within Refer-all-Ltd, the organisation I work for.”
Stuart Stokes, Commercial Director at Refer-all Ltd, explains why their company has a positive policy in attracting more female IT roles.
“We would love to help address the balance with women coming into the industry as a whole. We have been using Apprentices since May 2015 within our organisation and from our current cohort, 66% are female.
The Apprenticeship programme offers a framework from which we can provide a real route to sustainable employment. The training coupled with eager, motivated people offers a complete package to our organisation. It allows us to develop the appropriate person with the training we need to get the job done.”
National training provider, Remit Training, is working to deliver its IT Apprenticeship programme across the UK. Chris Garcia, Operations Director for Remit Training, said: “This really is a great time for school leavers to consider a career in the IT industry. Leading tech employers are demonstrating a real commitment to Apprenticeships. Young people are at the forefront of innovation and technology, helping businesses reap the benefits work-based training can offer.”
For more information on IT Apprenticeships click here