Hand holding a pen putting green ticks in checkboxes

Tackling workforce inequality

Helping people and businesses grow by creating employment, training and opportunities.

Growing digital talent

Addressing inequality in the tech sector and growing digital talent by partnering with Ahead Partnership to engage young people from deprived local schools.

Engaging with schools

Connecting with students to share industry insights:

Speed networking: Met with students at Chorlton High School and Bruntcliffe Academy.
Girl Tech Leeds: Inspired 150 girls from economically deprived areas to pursue user-centred design careers.
Virtual careers panel: Hosted Waltham Toll Bar Academy in Grimsby, inspiring students without tech role models.

Mentoring and coaching

Guiding young people to overcome barriers and build successful careers:

CATCH Leeds mentorship: Provided one-on-one support to help young people develop career goals.
Coders Guild: Guided career changers as they transition into tech after boot camps.‍
Guest Speaker at Dixons Unity Academy: Introduced Year 10 students to content design careers and tech pathways.

Removing barriers to employment

Committed to creating employment and training opportunities and breaking down employment barriers while addressing skills shortages.

Increasing access to employment

Creating employment and training opportunities:

University collaborations: Work with institutions and funding programmes to support ethnic minorities in IT.
Flexible working and support: Offer an Employee Assistance Programme and flexible working policies to support parents and diverse needs.
Inclusive Leadership: Strengthen diversity at all levels of leadership.

Building skills and expertise

Continuous development fosters an inclusive workforce:

Learning opportunities: Collaborate with North Coders and CodeourFuture to break socio-economic barriers.
Conferences: Engage in events like BarCamps and support Women in Tech to drive equality and diversity.
Aire Time: Offer staff 12 volunteer and training days yearly to spend time with community groups and charities.‍
Gender and disability inclusion: Build a more inclusive workforce for people of all genders and abilities.

Improving gender pay fairness

We've published our first gender pay gap report and outlined our plan to close the gap by supporting career development, flexible working, women-focused benefits and industry engagement.

Read the report