IT services firm Atos is encouraging female undergraduates to work in the technology sector, as it looks to narrow the gap between men and women in the workplace.
As part of a networking event, ‘IT Meets High Tea’ in Birmingham, Atos invited female students studying the STEM field from universities including Nottingham, Birmingham, Aston, Brunel, Warwick, Loughborough and Durham.
The event, held in collaboration with the The Prince’s Trust Million Makers Challenge, saw students meet with prospective IT employers such as Zayo, KPMG and Cap Gemini, for career talks and workshops on presentation skills and self-promotion.
Ursula Morgenstern, CEO of Atos UK & Ireland, said: "We have a national shortage of women taking up roles in the technology industry subjects. We need to tackle this because women in a digital business world makes absolute business sense."
"Digital is now about communicating to people and customers and in order to do that effectively you have to be able to understand a diverse customer group."
"This is why diversity is a huge enabler of business and drives innovation, value and productivity. I would urge young women to look closely and consider carefully a career in technology."
Sukie Gakhal, who attended the event on behalf of The Prince’s Trust, said: "The team from Atos embodied the spirit of the Million Makers competition in their innovative event, ‘IT Meets High Tea’.
Prince’s Trust Young Ambassador Zoe also spoke to the attendees about her journey with The Trust and how the Atos Team programme inspired her to gain employment in the Technology sector.
"A fantastic day which nurtured the ambitions of talented young women as well as raised valuable funds for The Prince’s Trust," she said.
Atos, which employs over 100 graduates per year, a third of which are women, also tasked a group of students to come up with ideas as to how more young women could be attracted to apply to the firm.
