Global communications agency Hotwire has launched an initiative aimed at driving diversity in tech.

By offering free media training for women in 2019, the comms firm hopes to increase the number of women regularly commenting on tech issues both in the media and at industry events.

Famous females?

An estimated 2.1 million people work in the tech sector in the UK, yet only 14% are female. PwC research has also found that only 3% of girls who study a STEM subject at school go on to consider a career in tech. Only 22% of students surveyed by PwC could name a ‘famous female’ working in technology, yet two thirds could name a man.

With a huge skills gap in the tech sector, more female role models are needed to encourage younger women to enter the tech sector and balance the gender inequality in this space.  

Hotwire UK’s retained clients will be offered up to two media training sessions per year for up to three female spokespeople per session at no charge in 2019. With more media trained women in the tech industry, Hotwire anticipates seeing more women featured in mainstream and social media, creating more visible female role models for current and future tech generations.

Adele Breen, director of Corporate Strategy Services in the London office, said: “We speak to media and event organisers day in and day out, and finding women to balance out panels, to deliver keynotes, and to interview for tech news stories is tough. Luckily there is a huge industry drive behind this, but the problem still exists and it is far from being resolved.

“We believe we have a duty to drive more diversity in tech. Actively media training more women is a small but crucial step in encouraging better female representation. We hope and expect this will encourage businesses to put women more forward for speaking panels at conferences and events, and interviews in mainstream media.”