Darktrace has announced a partnership with social enterprise, WISE, that will aim to boost the participation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

WISE is a Leeds-based non-profit community interest company with over 200 member organisations and helps to increase the participation and contribution of women in STEM subjects.

Led by two female CEO’s, nearly half of Darktrace’s employees are women. The collaboration will aim to inspire and increase awareness of some of the future roles available in technology – roles in which women will play a critical role.

Driving STEM Participation

Helen Wollaston, CEO of WISE, welcomed the announcement and highlighted the valuable role Darktrace is playing in increasing female STEM engagement, stating: “Darktrace is not only challenging conventions with its innovative technology but also the number of women it employs”.

Wollaston added: “By demonstrating the value that women bring to technical, engineering and mathematical roles, Darktrace sets the bar for other technology companies.

“We are delighted to have Darktrace’s support, helping us to inspire girls and their parents in the race to get more young women excited about a career in science, engineering and technology.”

Some of WISE’s activities in promoting STEM engagement include:

• Sharing insight and knowledge about the causes of – and solutions to – gender imbalance in STEM in the UK
• Collaborating and connecting WISE members (individuals and organisations) to be the leaders, role models and champions of gender imbalance in science, technology and engineering.
• Amplifying impact through inspirational events and campaigns.

Setting an Example

Figures published this year by the Department for Education highlighted a concerning deficit in the number of female computer science students, with some schools reporting they have no female ICT students whatsoever.

According to the report, around 0.4% of female students chose to study A-levels in computer science in 2018; a significantly fewer number than the 4.5% of male students. Increasing STEM participation is a key focus of both national and devolved government in the UK, and with the risk of a growing digital skills deficit, the need for increased awareness has never been stronger.

Poppy Gustafsson, CEO at Darktrace said: “We are delighted to sponsor WISE and help encourage more girls and women to pursue STEM subjects, and careers in technology.

“The UK’s science and technology sector is second to none, and at Darktrace we are proud to set an example for the next generation of women considering roles in our industry, from software engineers and cyber analysts to salespeople and marketers.”