School girls inspired by successful women in technology at Breaking the Mould

A story for Financial Mail Women's Forum

By Yixiang Zeng

The speakers encouraged girls to recognise there are exciting and varying opportunities for work within the sector.

At the Breaking the Mould careers conference for girls and teachers a 350-strong audience heard from successful women within the technology sector.

As well as panels on charity work, unexpected jobs within banking, career changes, jobs involving the senses, sleuthing, entrepreneurship and telecoms, guests were given an insight into the variety of roles involving IT.

Maya Moufarek, Consumer Apps EMEA for Google; Wendy Tan White, founder of Moonfruit.com; Holly Tucker, Co-founder of notonthehighstreet.com and Helen Cook, IBM’s Sales Leader for Global Technology Services all gave inspirational talks and encouraged the girls to share their perceptions of the industry.

When they were asked ‘How many of you want a career in technology?’ only a handful of hands went up. Wendy Tan White, who also worked on the team which set up Egg.com (the world’s first internet bank) in 1997, asked: ‘Do you think it is too dull and boring? Do you see it as a male-dominated industry?’.

Not surprisingly, nearly every hand in the room went up when Holly Tucker, Co-founder of e-tailer notonthehighstreet.com, asked how many of the girls used Facebook or Twitter. She said: ‘Technology is just everwhere and everyone is using it in their daily life.’

The speakers encouraged girls to recognise the connection between products and services they use on a daily basis and the exciting and varying opportunities for work within the sector.

Lisa Buckingham, editor of Financial Mail on Sunday and founder of FMWF, said of the event overall: ‘It is a chance to say to the girls; “You do not need to be taking on traditional careers”, and the event is to advise and show them what alternative routes girls can consider when making their career choices.’

Charlotte Parker, from Leicester High School for Girls, said: ‘It’s such a stimulating conference and I feel I’m quite inspired. Companies rarely come to our school to talk to us about their programmes, so it is a very good chance for us to broaden our minds.’

Maureen Traquair, education manager from The Oil & Gas Academy, an organisation which bridges the gap between educational institutions and industry, said: ‘Most of the local companies do not market to schools. Some of them I know are even banging on the schools’ doors, but schools do not respond.’

Sue Cunningham, a teacher from Newport Girls’ High School, said: ‘A practical-based college will be more willing to work with companies than those sixth forms preparing pupils for university.’

She added: ‘I hope my girls will bring what they have heard back to school and share with other girls the passion, energy, hard-working nature, drive to succeed and no fear of failing [of the speakers] which are very inspirational.’