Last week, we hosted a work experience programme in partnership with Next Tech Girls, an organisation on a mission to tackle the gender disparity in the tech industry. We invited five ambitious young girls, offering them a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in our tech team at our London HQ.
In the UK, only 26% of the tech workforce are women, and Next Tech Girls is at the forefront of efforts to bring about change. Through their work experience placements, school workshops, and events, they empower young women to explore the world of technology from an early age.
We firmly believe in providing equal opportunities and fostering an inclusive environment. 40% of our tech team are female, so getting involved in something that would inspire the next generation of female tech enthusiasts felt like a no brainer!
Programmes like Next Tech Girls are essential for helping young people – particularly women and people from minority groups – into STEM careers, as the hands-on experience can really help someone start to understand what fits (or doesn’t fit) for them.
Lucas Gundry, Chief Technology Officer, The Keyholding Company
What did the girls get up to?
The five girls – Antonina, Dila, Lasya, Nicola, and Millie – spent their week immersed in our tech team, under the expert guidance of our Lead Back End Developer, Tiago.
During their time with us, they delved into various tech functions, including Front End, Back End, Product, and Business Intelligence, gaining a comprehensive understanding of how our ecosystem operates.
To provide them with a holistic view of TKC, the girls had the opportunity to interact with women from different business areas (including marketing and strategy), discussing their experiences and responsibilities and exposing them to new areas of focus.
The girls participated in software and product design workshops, and even had the chance to contribute to our upcoming projects. Their fresh perspectives and creative ideas were really impressive!
As their final task, we challenged them with building a piece of software from scratch using Kafka, a messaging system facilitating seamless data communication between end-points. They developed a small software which will play a crucial role in bolstering the functionality of our systems and supporting our ‘microservices’. The girls even presented their solution during a company-wide meeting at the end of the week!
It was great to have the girls over at TKC for the week. We appreciated their contributions, and we’d love to do this again! I’m glad I could be a part of their journey and I hope it was as enjoyable for them as it was for us!
Tiago Correia, Lead Back End Developer, The Keyholding Company
What next?
Having the girls with us last week was fantastic. We were blown away by their passion and creativity, and how they immersed themselves in the TKC family. The confidence they demonstrated by the end of the week was a testament to the benefits of the programme – many of us said we couldn’t imagine presenting to a group of 75 people at their age!
The passion and talent of the girls was clear to see and we would welcome more candidates seeking this type of experience back to The Keyholding Company in a heartbeat!
Lucas Gundry, Chief Technology Officer, The Keyholding Company
If you’re interested in the Next Tech Girls programme, head over to their website – we couldn’t recommend getting involved enough.
Looking for a tech-led security solution?
Looking for a tech-led security solution?
If you’re interested in how we leverage technology to provide trusted, reliable security services, contact us today!
Get in touch