There are an extraordinary 600,000 vacancies in the tech sector at a time and the sector has for a time struggled to recruit. Tech Nation reveals that women are sorely absent in tech, making up 19% of the general talent pool and 23% at senior level (this is 49% and 29% respectively in the wider economy). Others like techUK have found that whilst 19% of the UK workforce has a disability, 9.5% of IT specialists have a disability. Ethnic minorities (in particular Asians) fare better when we look at the tech workforce (14%) but this drops to 8.5% at senior level.

The evidence is that diversity, equity and inclusion are important to the bottom line of an organisation. McKinsey found that a 48% (yes, you read correctly!) differential likelihood of outperformance between the most from the least gender-diverse companies, with ‘equally-compelling’ results for ethnic and cultural diversity. And in a tough labour market, can a tech business really not bother to recruit and promote from a wider base?

This London Tech Week, we will hear from those campaigning for and offering solutions to the DEI challenge in tech, as well as tech leaders and recruiters. Inclusive growth is a thread that runs through Hammersmith & Fulham’s Industrial Strategy and the panel will also address practical ways in which tech careers can be offered to the borough’s residents, especially those based in the White City Innovation District which has seen a boom in tech-related jobs.

PANEL:

Dr. Claire Thorne, co-CEO of Tech She Can, physicist & venture partner at Deep Science Ventures

Farial Missi, Community Engagement Manager for Imperial College London’s White City Campus, local resident

Lynn Phillips, Global Head of HR, DNA Electronics

Sandra Stanley, Chief Data Science Officer, dunnhumby

Cllr. Stephen Cowan, Leader of London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

PROGRAMME:18:00 – Registration & drinks | 18:30 – Panel and Q&A | 19:45 – Cocktails (courtesy of mixologists from Shake & Stir), food and networking | 21:00 – Event ends

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Everyone who works in tech and science in Hammersmith & Fulham and nearby neighbourhoods and want to meet like-minded individuals. You can be in any role – we all need to be part of this change.

THANKS to: Scale Space White City for hosting us!

IN PARTNERSHIP with: Deep Tech Network + Tech London Advocates (TLA)