GIRLS WHO CODE
Just under a decade ago, PWC released a report decrying that it was “Time to close the gender gap” in technology. Emblazoned on the first page of this report were two key statistics. 78% of students can't name a famous female working in tech, and 3% of females say a career in technology is their first choice. In that same year, 2017, women accounted for just 15.8% of current UK engineering and technology undergraduates. Yet, at the time, 94% of employers predicted a skill shortage in the sector. It's no surprise then that the findings of the report suggested that better education and clearer avenues into the tech sector for women would be beneficial for the overall sector. Yet the question of how to encourage more women into the technology sector is something businesses are still asking themselves today. “When we recently hired someone specifically for social impact, we asked, ‘How do we ensure that strategy is aligned to our expertise as a business, so we can make more of an impact?” said Neelam Sandhu, CMO at Vonage, “When you bring your expertise and assets to the table, you naturally make
more impact, as opposed to activities that can feel performative. Whatever we do has to be authentic and aligned with our business strategy.” As part of the strategy to “become more intentional” with its philanthropic adventures, Vonage recently announced an extension of their partnership with Girls Who Code, an international non- profit on a mission to close the gender gap in tech. “We’ve seen women in STEM roles increase over the last 25 years – maybe around 10% – but building the pipeline of female STEM talent is still critically important. “We’re still seeing around 20-30% of students in areas like AI and other STEM or technology courses are girls, so Girls Who Code was a great organisation to renew and expand our partnership with.” Vonage x GHC The partnership with Girls Who Code will see Vonage deliver summer Pathways Programs, a virtual summer experience designed to equip high school students with skills and exposure to real-world tech careers. The program will cover subjects including Web Development, Cybersecurity, AI, Data
Neelam Sandhu CMO
vonage.com
Vonage recently announced an extension of their partnership with Girls Who Code, an international non-profit on a mission to close the gender gap in tech.
girlswhocode.com
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