Case Study: Occupational Segregation - Guardian News and Media

The IT Department of Guardian Newspapers and Media Ltd has run two ‘Insight into IT’ days for year 8 pupils from Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School for Girls. The aim is to encourage the girls to consider a future in IT as part of a wider diversity target to encourage more women to consider a career in IT. The company also wanted to break down stereotypes around IT workers and to demonstrate that working in IT does not necessarily mean working for an IT company, and that there are a broad range of roles available. The focus is on pre-GCSE children before they start making course choices and sitting exams.

The day begins with talks from members of the department explaining their roles. The children then work with IT professionals in small groups and are rotated around four workshops covering different aspects of IT, including practical demonstrations of equipment, such as the technology used to communicate with journalists in war zones. The girls are also able to discuss possible career paths into IT and are provided with information about the department, contact information and web links for relevant educational institutions and careers guidance.

Following a review into the days, the company has decided to run one day a year with more girls, rather than two sessions. There will also be more input from other departments, such as Guardian Professional and Guardian Unlimited, where there are also IT experts willing to get involved. This will publicise the initiative more widely across the organisation.

The company has also realised that after the days some girls want to join them for work experience. They have been able to accommodate one girl this year and are exploring how to do this again after the next Insight day.

The long-term aim is to increase the number of women applying to work in IT at the Guardian by 2010. The Insight day has raised awareness of this aim among recruiting managers in IT. One has started to put all the vacancies she deals with on the Women in Science, Engineering and Technology website and others are following her lead.