A government-backed initiative has been launched to try
to persuade morewomen to work in the IT industrywith
women who took maternity leave, or left IT on a career break being
targeted.
The programme from
ThoughtWorks will
include two training placements at its London offices over a
two-month period. If successful, the candidates could be offered
roles at the company. The initiative is sponsored by
Equalitec,
a UK not-for-profit organisation that aims to assist in the
recruitment, retention and advancement of women in IT.
"We do not want to accept that there are not enough women in IT
- we want to do something about it," said John Galioto, UK managing
director of ThoughtWorks. "Women who work as developers and then
take a career break have tremendous value and ability that we want
to help bring back into IT. The industry moves so quickly that one
year out can mean many new technologies missed, deterring many
women from returning. We are offering an intensive training course
to bridge that gap."
The same service will not be available to men who have been out
of the industry and have lost touch with developments.
With financial support from both ThoughtWorks and Equalitec, the
course will be free for delegates, who will be required to meet a
set of entry requirements.
"By focusing on this massive untapped resource, ThoughtWorks is
helping to highlight just how rewarding a career in IT can be for
women who've stepped out of the industry," said Maggie Berry,
director of womenintechnology.co.uk.