Ayrshire College has been shortlisted for the Employer of the Year Award at the Scottish Women in Technology Awards on Thursday 26 October 2017.
This is a new awards ceremony, set up this year to champion and celebrate women - and the companies and networks around them - who are achieving success in the technology industry in Scotland. Ayrshire College has been nominated for its commitment to addressing the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) through the promotion of various and specific campaigns. The College’s #ThisAyrshireGirlCan campaign challenges young women to understand what a STEM career actually involves and how females can best thrive in these male-dominated industries. The campaign aims to change the mindsets of young women, teachers, careers advisers and employers. A number of events have been organised throughout the year to encourage young females to consider a STEM career, including a Technology Workout for 250 first and second year secondary school girls. The Technology Workout was delivered in partnership with SmartSTEMS, a Scottish charity established by Stuart MacDonald, managing director of Seric Systems. Since November 2014, Ayrshire College has run over 60 CoderDojo coding clubs to encourage young people to take up coding. The hugely successful CoderDojo Ayrshire computing coding clubs have introduced hundreds of young people to programming and developing apps, inspiring more young people at school to choose courses which develop digital skills. Ayrshire Connects, an all-female STEM network, has also been established with the aim of connecting female STEM students across the College. Ayrshire College was also a finalist at the Global Game Changers Awards on 13 September, earning a Commendation award for its work in this area. Jackie Galbraith, Vice Principal at Ayrshire College, said at the time “Tackling gender imbalance for Ayrshire College is about ensuring that all people regardless of gender have the opportunity to pursue any career. “Achieving the stretching targets set for colleges requires shifting deeply ingrained social and cultural stereotypes. Sparking an interest in careers at a young age is critical and, increasingly, our efforts focus on school pupils and those who influence their subject and career choices. “Taking gender out of careers equation won't happen overnight and success is only possible with sustained long-term action from all who have a stake in this, including schools, colleges, universities and employers.”