Engineering technology and consultancy provider, Expleo, is partnering with social enterprise outfit InnovateHer to drive more young North-Western women into careers in the STEM sector.
As an employer of more than 1500 tech and engineering experts in the UK and 17,000 globally, Expleo is committed to developing the next generation of talent and is partnering with InnovateHer on its mission to drive greater diversity in the sector.
The partnership, sealed under the watchful gaze of Manchester’s Emmeline Pankhurst statue, is Expleo’s first investment in a social enterprise and will see it work with InnovateHer to develop and launch an in-school education programme later this year, which Expleo’s employees will be part of delivering.
Jeff Hoyle, MD of Expleo in the UK and Global EVP Aero, Space and Defence, said: “For too long now there’s been a lack of support for young people, and especially women, looking to take up careers in tech and engineering.
“By working with InnovateHer we can reach young people and showcase the variety of careers open to them in our industry – along with highlighting the number of opportunities right here in the North-West and across the UK to realise their career ambitions.”
Expleo, which has its UK head-office in Preston, has grown rapidly since it formed in 2017, and partners with dozens of clients across 14 industries including aerospace, marine, automotive, BFSI and energy and utilities sectors. It is a significant regional employer of tech talent, with plans to grow its UK workforce to more than 1700 people by the end of the year.
Hoyle added: “We’re committed to increasing diversity at Expleo and we’re in it for the long-term. We’re investing now, to see the benefits tomorrow and by working with InnovateHer to get out there in local communities and connect our brilliant, passionate engineers to the region’s young people we’re hoping to make a big difference – who knows, we might light a spark in someone, who goes on to become our next Chief Engineer or Lead Data Scientist.”
InnovateHer is on a mission to get girls ready for the tech industry, and the industry ready for girls. It launched its first in-school programme in 2015 and since then has supported thousands of young people across the North-West.
Chelsea Slater, CEO, InnovateHer said: “Just 19% of the digital tech workforce in the UK is female, compared to 37% across all sectors. It’s well known that the gender gap costs industry time and money, but it also contributes to the challenges many companies face when sourcing talent, and ultimately contributes to widening the digital skills gap.”
Slater concluded: “By working with partners like Expleo, we’re building a future where greater diversity and representation in tech and engineering will be the norm, not the exception. Through our mentoring programme and in-school education projects, we’re able to reach thousands of young people and help guide them towards life-changing opportunities.”
