Sky champions female tech entrepreneurs

Sky's digital centre of excellence at Leeds Dock

Under the year-long scheme, each of the winners will be paired with high calibre mentors who will guide them through the scheme and support them as they develop their skills and pursue individual projects.

The Women in Technology Scholars scheme is the latest grass roots initiative launched by Sky to encourage more women to pursue careers in technology.

Research shows that women represent just under half of the UK’s workforce, but only one in every six of the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) workforce are women.

A Sky Spokeswoman said: "As our scholars could be based anywhere in the UK or Ireland, they will also have access to our world-leading Technology and Digital Hub in Leeds, our start-of-the-art facilities in Osterley and our tech campus in Scotland."

Sky said that given the significant lack of gender diversity within the technology world, both this new scheme and Sky’s Get into Tech programme aim to provide a supportive environment in which women can learn and hone skills needed for a successful career in this field.

Sky’s Get into Tech initiative launched in March last year has helped over 100 women with little or no previous technical experience to learn some of the skills necessary to

begin a career in software development.

Sky's CEO Jeremy Darroch said: “This is all about giving young women with a passion for tech a real chance of reaching their full potential.

“There are too few women working in technology. This is a problem that needs resolving, and we’re fully committed to finding that resolution.

"Our Women in Technology Scholars scheme is a step in the right direction and I’m excited to see how it helps talented women develop their careers.”

Elaine Bucknor, director for group technology strategy, added: “Our hope is that the scholarships will make a real difference to the careers of these women. It will give them

a chance to explore new avenues and build new skills.

"We will help deliver the right combination of support to ensure they are able to accelerate their careers. As technology continues to evolve and become an ever important part of our lives and our business, I’m proud that Sky are fully committed to challenging the status quo and helping to get more women into tech.”

Applications for the Women in Tech Scholars scheme are open to all women aged 18-25 who demonstrate a passion for technology and a strong commitment to build a career in the media and entertainment industry.

Their interest can be across any field of technology, such as software development, broadcast engineering, AI and machine learning, robotics, digital, innovation, but should be relevant and relatable to Sky’s business.