The Women in Tech awards took place recently at the Raheen Business Park in Limerick. The event celebrated the achievements of graduates of this year’s Coding Careers for Women programme, a joint initiative between Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, the Mid-West Regional Skills Forum, Code Institute and employers from the Limerick for IT cluster.
The programme is unique to the region and offers women a pathway into a career in the tech sector. It combines a 12-month online Diploma in Full-Stack Software Development with a 3-month work placement in the industry. The initiative is backed by employers from the Limerick for IT cluster, who acknowledge the importance of a local talent pipeline and the drive to improve female representation in the sector.
Guest speakers at the event included Sean O’Reilly, Vice President Logistics and Fulfilment and site lead at Dell Technologies, Paul Patton, Director of FET at Limerick and Clare ETB, who spoke with the graduates. This was followed by a fireside chat with an expert panel including Joe Leddin, Regional Skills Mid-West Network Manager, and Eimear Brophy, Further Education and Training Manager with Limerick and Clare ETB, who spearheaded the programme in collaboration with the Limerick for IT cluster.
Speaking about the success of the programme Eimear Brophy who is responsible for Enterprise and Engagement at Limerick and Clare ETB said: “As agencies it’s great to be involved in a successful project, but we need to remember that we couldn’t have had such a successful programme without this fantastic group of women, who undertook the studies, stayed with the programme and ultimately got employment.”
Orla Walsh, Senior Advisor for Campus Communication and Development at Dell Technologies also featured on the panel alongside Jane Gormley, Employer Engagement Director with Code Institute and Laura Hartnett, one of the Coding Careers for Women graduates. Speaking about her experience with the programme, Laura said she’s delighted she signed up. “As part of the course you get a three-month work placement. I got mine with Analog Devices, and I was lucky enough that they’ve extended that work placement to another year long contract. It’s been great, they continue to train me, and I can see career progression and a clear path ahead now, it’s amazing.”
The panel discussed many topics throughout the morning including the barriers women face in taking up employment in tech, the importance of programmes like Coding Careers for Women and the benefits of encouraging greater female participation in STEM.
The event finished with the official graduation ceremony where Jim Cassidy, Code Institute CEO, and Eimear Brophy, Limerick and Clare ETB, presented certificates to this year’s graduates.
To find out more about the Diploma in Full-Stack Software Development (e-Commerce), visit collegeofFET.ie/code.
Click on the video below to view highlights from the Women in Tech awards ceremony.
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