We don't have time to wait when it comes to technology

 “30 years ago half of people thought that men should go out to work and women should look after the home. Now, that’s 10%. But how slow has that been?! We don’t have time to wait when it comes to technology.” Sheridan Ash, Tech She Can Founder and Co CEO 

Speaking at our recent birthday celebrations, Sheridan Ash explained that technology is reshaping our world, influencing every facet of our lives, from AI to robots and social media. We are a UK charity, on a mission to ensure that women and girls actively participate in and benefit from the tech revolution. As we celebrate our second year as a charity, we proudly share our significant impact in empowering women and bridging the gender gap in the tech sector.

Our Co-CEOs Sheridan Ash MBE and Dr. Claire Thorne, are dedicated to inspiring, educating and creating opportunities for women and girls in technology. Our ultimate goal is to address the UK's tech skills gap, which could be resolved by achieving gender parity in the tech industry.

"We believe our future will be better and brighter if we engage and inspire women and girls to create and use technology, so that it is more likely to benefit everyone,". With over 200 organizations from 40 sectors backing our mission, we are committed to creating a more diverse workforce and driving positive change in education, industry and policy.

This year, we have achieved remarkable milestones:

Inspiring children: We directly reached 53,000 pupils in UK classrooms, focusing on social mobility by engaging schools in disadvantaged areas. Over 50% of the schools involved were located in such regions, showcasing the commitment to making tech education accessible to all.

Live assemblies: Our introduction of live assemblies proved immensely popular, with more than 30,000 pupils experiencing it. We also expanded our educational outreach to primary-age children, teaching them about tech concepts like the cloud, AR, and VR.

Empowering Women in Tech: We established an apprenticeship levy-sharing program. Through collective contributions from Strategic Partners, £1 million of "waste levy" was redirected to fund tech apprentices in SMEs and charities within our community. This initiative is helping women pivot or upskill, entering tech roles for the first time in their careers.

Career insight days: We organised Career Insight Days, where groups of girls spend immersive days in tech organisations, meeting female role models and learning about different tech roles. These events transformed the girls' perception of tech careers, with 95% considering them exciting.

Influencing change: We are actively shaping policy and best practices across the tech industry, education and the third sector. Our Co-CEOs have participated in high-profile events, given evidence in the House of Lords and been named among the most influential people in UK IT.

Global Impact: Our resources have been translated into various languages and adapted for special education needs. They have even reached remote, rural areas in Africa through charitable partnerships.

"We see the opportunity to tackle simultaneously both the skills gap and the lack of diversity. Now, more than ever, representation matters," say our Co-CEOs.

With our commitment to raising awareness, influencing policy and inspiring women and girls in tech, We will continue to make a significant impact in shaping the future of technology in the UK.

To get involved and support our mission, visit our website, engage on social media using #ChangeTheRatio, or explore various ways to contribute and join our community.