Post by Jennifer S.

On Wednesday, I had the privilege of attending the Women in Tech event hosted by Hays and Beauty Pie. The room was full of positive energy, a brilliant morning of honesty, allyship, and action. The conversations during the fireside chat and breakout sessions were a powerful reminder of how much work still lies ahead: 👩🏽‍💻 Women are still leaving roles due to culture and lack of progression. 🙅🏽‍♀️ Being “direct” is praised in men, but too often questioned in women. 🚪 Pathways to leadership remain blocked or unclear. It was inspiring to hear real stories of allyship from Ryan Gardner, Lucy Alexander, and Jason Birth, showing how men and women can work together to challenge behaviours, celebrate fairness, and create cultures where women thrive, to Vaishali Patel and Ken Deegan sharing their own journeys with openness and authenticity. This resonated deeply with me. From my time at university, where I was one of the few women in my IT class, to working in predominantly male environments throughout my career, first in the tech industry and later in education, managing IT departments and as a Senior Leader. I have seen firsthand how isolating it can feel. Slowly, change is happening… but we all know there’s still so much more to do. As Founder of IT Solutionist, I see these same challenges across education and tech leadership, but also the opportunities. We must stand up for what we believe, lead with compassion, and create pathways for those who follow. As our honest and charismatic host, Amanda Whicher reminded us, the 2025 Lovelace Report highlights the cost of not acting: tens of thousands of women leaving the sector each year, and billions lost to the economy. This is not just a gender issue; it’s a leadership issue. 👉🏽 My question to you: What’s one practical step organisations can take to ensure women don’t just enter, but stay, lead, and thrive in tech? #WomenInTech #Leadership #Allyship #ITSolutionist

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