Corecom’s WITBoss event celebrates and inspires Women in Tech in Leeds
On Thursday 15th June 2023, leading tech recruitment agency Corecom hosted its highly anticipated WITBoss event at the Terrace, Wellington Place, in Leeds. This year’s event, which marked Corecom’s continued commitment to supporting women in tech, was met with overwhelming success, selling out in just two weeks. Attended by nearly 100 professionals from various sectors, the event aimed to inspire the next generation of female tech leaders and celebrate the strides made by women in the industry.
The WITBoss event series, initiated by Corecom in 2016, has become a prominent platform for promoting gender diversity and empowerment in the tech sector. With each passing year, the event attracts an increasing number of attendees eager to engage with accomplished panellists and learn from their journeys to leadership.
Corecom’s ED&I ambassadors Dominic Brown and Aishia Ullah led the ‘lightning talks’ that featured inspiring individuals with diverse experiences in the tech industry. The panel opened with Sarah Whittle, who talked about the #WECAN project. This £1.7 million, three-year initiative by Leeds Beckett University aims to enhance the resilience and growth of small and medium-sized businesses in the Leeds city region by empowering women through coaching and networking. Sarah emphasized the need to address the underrepresentation of ethnically diverse leadership groups in SMEs, while highlighting the remarkable £85 billion contribution of women-led SMEs to the national economic output. Furthermore, Sarah cited a report by PwC revealing that only 25% of the tech workforce is comprised of women, with a meager 11% in leadership roles, underscoring the urgency of fostering change in the industry, and the importance of strong role models for driving this change.
Vicky Otley, Business Analyst and Co-Director at Optimo, captivated the audience with her personal journey into leadership and the tech field. As she candidly shared her experiences of imposter syndrome and being the sole woman in tech delivery teams, Vicky stressed the importance of finding one’s “tribe” and creating a supportive network. She also offered valuable tips for aspiring leaders and emphasized the role of individuals in driving organisational change through inclusive people strategies.
Tim Pepper, Technical People Lead and Squad Lead at BJSS, spoke next, delving into the significance of building the skill of allyship to support women and other minority groups in the workplace. Tim emphasized the transformative power of having a “challenging person” in one’s life who champions their capabilities and encourages growth. Tim also highlighted the positive impact of mentoring programs, such as Tech Up by Durham University, on fostering diversity and inclusion.
Em Ledger, Senior Product Manager at the BBC, shared her journey of overcoming societal expectations and obstacles to reach a senior tech role. She spoke about her experiences with dyscalculia and ADHD and underscored the importance of accessibility in the recruitment process to create equal opportunities for all. Em also emphasized the significance of investing in the early careers pipeline and engaging with young people to shape the future of the tech industry.
Sarah Baker, Head of Technology at Sky, spoke about her shyness in her early career and touched upon the topic of overcoming personal challenges and managing fertility aspirations while pursuing a career in tech. Sarah highlighted our ability to rewire our thinking to embrace new opportunities rather than fear them, and advocated for better support systems for colleagues experiencing fertility-related trauma.
The final panellist was Kelly Weston, COO at The Data City, who shared her inspiring journey from manager to leader, debunking the notion of being a “natural” leader and emphasizing the power of self-belief. She stressed that the best decisions are often those that challenge and push individuals to grow. Kelly also emphasized the significance of positive and inclusive leadership, which has propelled her career, and the importance of leaders recognising potential and fostering innovation in the ever-evolving tech industry.
Closing the event, Corecom highlighted its partnership with the charity parent Getaway Girls, a long-standing charity that works to support girls and young women aged 11-25 to support each other to build confidence, and resilience, raise aspirations, develop new skills, and take positive risks in a positive environment which offers co-operation and support.
The photos from the event are available to view here.
If you would like to receive the audio recording of the event, please contact Aishia Ullah – [email protected]
For more information about Corecom’s ED&I service, speak to Aishia or Dom Brown – [email protected]
My hope for the future is to experience women in technology as the norm. The early stages of my career in tech were shaped by women and I feel very privileged to count some of the best women in technology in my network of close contacts and friends. However, I know this isn’t the case for many women in the sector, who find themselves outnumbered by the opposite sex. Anything I can do to challenge the current norm and break the stigma for Women in Technology, I will do.
