Encouraging women to retrain, reskill or return to work in a tech role or company.

On Wednesday 20th July, Telefonica Tech hosted a well-attended networking event. Our Women in Tech Discovery Day provided women with opportunities and help to create new connections, learn from others, and explore careers in tech.

The event, held in collaboration with Microsoft TechHer, had women attending from varying career stages and learning backgrounds. It was a great chance for women interested in tech to learn more about the diverse types of roles available and what it’s like working in the industry.

The event started with networking and introductions before moving into an overview of the Tech Sector from Telefónica Tech’s CTO, Mark Skelton. Mark addressed the elephant in the room, the fact that the event was hosted by a man, head-on, and his inspiring presentation captured the audience. As a senior male in the industry, he reflected on his personal experience. For example, the challenges his wife faced when returning to work after parental leave, and his aspirations for his daughter to enter the tech industry without facing the difficulties we do today.

Sarah Hicks, Microsoft’s Business Manager & Partnerships presented an overview of TechHer learning opportunities. Designed to help women create new connections, learn from others, and explore careers in tech. She also spoke about why diversity and inclusion are ethical and business priorities for our sector.

During the break attendees networked over lunch before moving on to listen to some inspiring presentations from Telefónica Tech’s senior female leaders. The audience was motivated by a day-in-the-life video from our Healthcare Strategic Director, Ellen Dickson. Followed by Maria Chiware, Head of Service Architecture, and Tamlynn Crowe, Head of Software Development, who shared their personal stories of setbacks and triumphs in the workplace.

Our Strategic Account Executive, Jacqui Kennedy’s interactive session highlighted a common comment among many of the attendees: “I love this, but where do I start? “. And all our female speakers stressed, “You really don’t need to know tech to work in the tech sector!”

Lesley Purdie, our HR Director, shared an overview of the types of roles and opportunities available at Telefónica Tech. Then the closing session was from Linda Ghusayni, Skills Program Manager at Microsoft, who talked about Microsoft’s learning and development pathways and access to free, highly regarded Microsoft training resources. She also shared her personal experiences of how these training opportunities have helped her and others to gain the knowledge and confidence to make positive changes in their careers.

The Women in Tech Discovery Day was a great success and enjoyed by all who attended. Due to the high demand, we are planning to run similar events in the future. Please register your interest here:

Watch this short video for an overview of the event from Mark Skelton
CTO and Vice President, at Telefónica Tech UK&I

Learn more about tech and non-tech opportunities available at Telefónica Tech by visiting our careers page here: