Equal-Works

Background 

The Advancing Women in ITEC project is a partnership of the key players (employers, professional bodies, and organisations) working towards a more equal representation and involvement of women in science, engineering and technology. The motivation for the project covers several core issues contributing to the problem of the under-representation of women in ITEC. These include: the persistently low numbers of women choosing to study and work in ITEC; the loss of mid-career women from the ITEC labour force; the anticipated demand for higher level ITEC skills; the role of ITEC as a driver for change in the demand for skills outside the ITEC sector; and the obstacles faced by women returning to the workplace after a career break. The partnership particularly focuses on the complex interplay between cultural, organisational and personal factors for women returning to the labour market after career breaks.

Aims 

The general aim of Equalitec is to develop and test a range of intervention tools to assist in the recruitment, retention and advancement of women in ITEC addressing, in particular, the needs of women at higher skills levels who have taken a career break or have experienced a period of unemployment and find the return to the workplace difficult.

Objectives

• Reintegration and progression for women in science, engineering and technology sectors
• Delivering professional and personal development training modules for women returners and career women
• Developing placement schemes for women returning to work 
• Developing ITEC mentoring circles for women returners and female students
• Delivering research on career issues faced by women returners, involving target groups and key players
• Developing ITEC careers portal for women focused on women returners, older women, female students and career development support
• Developing ITEC career guides for women in HE
• Developing work-shadowing scheme with employers for female students
• Developing successful career return paths for women after a period of unemployment
• Establishing Diversity Forum in ITEC with employers, professional societies, women’s groups and trade unions
• Knowledge and Skills for a Digital Future Conference (involving 150 employers, women's groups, trade unions, recruitment unions) towards awareness raising and mainstreaming best practice.

Target Groups

Women

Policy

• Presentations were made to policy makers at different Directorates of the European Commission – the Equalitec Partnership model was recommended by the Employment and Social Affairs Directorate as a best practice example for dissemination across Europe.
• Equalitec was invited to report on the findings and lessons from the Equalitec project at the EU conference organised by the Information Society and Media directorate and lead a discussion on women returners.
• Equalitec was invited to join International Task Force promoting women and technology globally.
• Equalitec was invited by the ITF to help develop European Centre for Women and Technology
• European parliamentarians agreed in 2007 to support the creation of a European Women Inventors and Innovators network, following the success of the partnership between Equalitec’s ITEC innovation Award and the British Female Inventors and Innovators Network (BFIIN) awards.
• Equalitec contributed to the research and discussions of one major UK political party into issues affecting women.

Industry

• Over 30 organisations contributed best practice materials for the Equalitec guides on the successful implementation of diversity policies and more effective recruitment of women into ITEC.
• On the completion of the project, companies such as Fujitsu Services, the Guardian News and Media, Google, HP and ThoughtWorks continued to include in their recruitment processes support services provided by Equalitec.
• Participation by UBS in the Equalitec Diversity Forum contributed to their efforts to establish a new collaborative course with the London School of Economics targeting women wishing to return to the banking industry.
• The British Computer Society followed on its engagement as an Equalitec partner with the production of new guidance materials for their members, individuals and companies, to help them with the preparation and management of career breaks, and to raise IT employers’ awareness about the potential pool of talent that women returners represent.
• Atsco, the trade organisation for IT recruitment agencies included Equalitec principles for gender diversity in their annual Handbook for members.  REC, the trade and lobby organisation for recruitment agencies, included issues raised by Equalitec in their own Diversity Forum discussions.
• The CBI carried an article on women returners in their publications for HR managers, going to 5000 subscribers.

Professional bodies

• The Royal Academy of Engineering used the examples and conclusions of the four Equalitec  the engineering industry.
• The British Computer Society created a new Women Leadership Panel to raise awareness and promote women in IT leadership.
• The Institutes of Mechanical and Civil Engineering started their own diversity promotional events.
• IMIS disseminated news about Equalitec to all its members, globally.

Media/Business

• Following their participation in the Equalitec conference on Knowledge and Skills for a Digital Future, the Financial Times, through its Digital Business supplement, started an IT Champion column and the IT Celebrity campaign.
• The issues of women returners and diversity principles were raised in a number of publications targeting professionals in IT and engineering, in particular, the Engineer, IT Week, Computing Business.
• Several letters to Financial Times from Equalitec on issues of women and ITEC, were published.

Research and development

• The University of Bath, which carried out research and evaluation activities under the project, used the findings to publish new research papers
• Roehampton University used its involvement in the project to strengthen and develop new networks and research partnerships.
• Portia used the experience gained during the three years to develop proposals for three major new European projects under the EU Lifelong Learning agenda, and two for the UK designed to transfer the experience to other target groups, in particular, teachers and schools, as well as a number of small projects targeting specific needs.

• Launched ITEC Innovation Award in collaboration with British Female Inventors and Innovators Network BFIIN Female Inventor and Innovator Awards
• Capacity building in partner BFIIN who expanded into European Women Inventors and Innovators
• Network Promotion of ITEC Innovation Award throughout 7000 Schools
• Series of posters and showcasing innovative women
• Marketing materials for Innovation promotion
• Involvement with EveryWoman Awards to promote female innovation and entrepreneurship
• Partner with Make YOUR Mark for Enterprise Week 2007
• Round table Discussion Event

Exhibiting and Presenting

• Presented findings and outcomes throughout Europe
• Presented Project findings at EU Research Directorate General, Brussels
• Presented Project findings at EU Directorate General of Education and Culture, Brussels
• Presented Project findings at EU Information Society and Media Directorate General, Brussels
• Presented Project findings at UNESCO conference, Paris
• Disseminated Project materials at Global Summit of Women, Berlin
• Contributed to Women’s Enterprise Day, UK      

• Project materials disseminated nationally and internationally
• Career Guides sent to 2250 schools
• Career Guides sent to university career centres throughout UK
• Career Guides sent to university computer departments throughout UK
• Reports for individuals sent to women throughout UK
• Reports for organisations sent to 400+ ITEC and ITEC related organisations in the public and private sector throughout UK and Europe
• Corporate Guide and project materials to 400+ entrepreneurs