Rural broadband specialist Quickline Communications has teamed up with Tech She Can, a tech education and careers charity, to tackle the issue of gender disparity in technology roles across the UK.
The collaboration aims to inspire young girls and women to pursue careers in technology, with a particular focus on schoolchildren in West and South Yorkshire.
Through this new partnership, Quickline will support Tech She Can’s efforts to increase the representation of women in technology by focusing on two key programme elements.
Quickline’s support has enabled Tech She Can to expand its educational team with the recruitment of two new regionally based teachers dedicated to schools in West and South Yorkshire. Funded by Quickline, these educators will deliver inspiring tech resources and visit partnered schools each half term, helping to reach children early on in their education.
In addition, a new classroom resource called ‘Tech for Connectivity’ will launch later this term, aimed at teaching thousands of primary and secondary students how technology facilitates online communication. The lesson will feature a new animation that explores the technology behind Wi-Fi and aims to spark interest in tech careers.
Julie Holmes, Social Value Manager at Quickline, said: “We’re thrilled to partner with Tech She Can to support them in their mission to inspire and empower girls and young women, particularly those in rural communities across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, to explore the exciting possibilities of STEM careers.
“It’s especially rewarding to support projects that target primary school children, helping to spark interest in tech careers from a young age. At Quickline, we’re committed to breaking down barriers and opening doors for the next generation of innovators.”
Becky Patel, Head of Education at Tech She Can, added: “We are very excited about our new partnership with Quickline and the undoubtable impact it will have on spreading our mission to inspire the next generation of technology professionals.”
Earlier this year, Quickline secured four Project Gigabit contracts covering all of Yorkshire and the majority of Lincolnshire. These contracts will provide gigabit-capable broadband to 170,000 hard-to-reach premises.
Project Gigabit is a government-funded programme enabling communities that would otherwise miss out on access to fast, reliable gigabit-capable broadband.
As part of its commitment to Project Gigabit, Quickline has partnered with Tech She Can as part of an extensive social values programme. The programme supports initiatives across three core areas – educating people, enhancing environments and improving employability. Through these efforts, Quickline strives to foster thriving communities and reduce inequality across rural Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
