
A Voice for Diversity in Tech
Overall, the STEM sector is continuing to grow at a rapid rate. Since 2017, core STEM employment had increased by 6.3%, which equates to more than 6 times that of the total rise in the UK’s overall employment rate. However, currently 22% of STEM positions in the UK are filled by Women, and when looking only at the Tech industry, on 17% of positions are filled by Women.
35% of STEM students were Women in 2018 according to Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, up 50% from the year before, so slowly increasing, but we need to look beyond Higher Education and at the bigger picture.
Everyone is aware that Women are currently underrepresented in the UK technology sector, this blog is capturing the industry from a woman’s perspective, but also from an HR, Leadership and Career perspective.
At SR2 we spend our days speaking to Tech professionals both in and out of work, students, entrepreneurs and companies about what they are doing to attract, retain and promote Female talent in the UK and beyond, and we want to use this platform to share and promote that.
Women in Technology find themselves outnumbered and often marginalized. We are confident that if we are working together and shouting loud enough, we can transform the industry and create a positive movement!
One thing we ask for everyone reading this is don’t be naïve to think this isn’t happening. OR that this isn’t something that needs to be talked about and improved upon, because it does, and we all need to work together to improve it.
Women Rock was founded by Alicia Teagle, a Woman in technology, also working in a male dominated environment, albeit in a slightly different capacity being IT recruitment. Please join the group, please share with your friends, family and colleagues, if you have a story to share then let’s hear it.

An interview with Serrie Chapman
January 8, 2018An interview with Debbie Forster MBE
January 29, 2018Find your inner Sasha!
January 30, 2018Never let the setbacks stop you from reaching your goals. An interview with Siena & India
February 6, 2018You can develop skills but you can’t train a personality, a Bristol success story
February 13, 2018Life does not ask what we want it presents us with options. An interview with Rachel Reveley
February 20, 2018Incorporating women and tech to achieve something great! An interview with Gapsqaure
February 27, 2018Women have to harness their power – it’s absolutely true. It’s just learning not to take the first no. And if you can’t go straight ahead, you go around the corner.’
March 8, 2018I can’t do it by myself we need to do it together! An interview with Eriol Fox
March 13, 2018Meet our Ambassadors.
March 20, 2018Don’t stop following your path, no matter what others will tell you. An Interview with Karen Copley
March 27, 2018This is my shot to do what I want to do! An interview with Genesis Self-Fordham
April 3, 2018Always remember that nobody in this industry knows everything. An interview with Rachel Baker & Rocketmakers
April 17, 2018Never be afraid to stand out from the crowd (says the mum with blue hair). An interview with Emma Hopkinson-Spark
April 24, 2018Get stuck in and give the tech industry a try! An interview with Ruth Waterfield
May 1, 2018The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. An interview with Kate Jones
May 8, 2018Role Model Ladders – A concrete path to getting more women in technology.
May 14, 2018Take a chance, life is a chance! The person who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare – An interview with Jaycee Cheong
May 22, 2018No Ache, No Cake – An interview with Lisa Matthews
May 29, 2018It’s definitely a whirlwind in the tech industry as it is ever evolving and changing, but I absolutely love it! – An interview with Georgina Hopkinson
June 13, 2018The woman making change happen – An interview with Simone Bartley
June 19, 2018Women Rock – Celebrating Success.
June 26, 2018Can I have a pay-rise please?
July 3, 2018I spot opportunities and make sure I take them – An interview with Frances Burton
July 10, 2018No one said it would be easy – An interview with Nathalie Alpi
July 17, 2018Treat Yo Self – An interview with Jess Saumarez
July 24, 2018Trust your own Brilliance
July 31, 2018‘Be Fearless’ – An Interview with Carly Dyson
October 2, 2018She Can She Did – An interview with Fiona Grayson
October 16, 2018‘Believe in yourself and assert yourself’ An interview with Helenna Vaughan-Smith
October 30, 2018“You only live once but, if you get it right, once is enough” – An interview with Georgia Stewart
November 6, 2018‘Do or do not, there is no try’ An interview with Claire Rogers
November 13, 2018Go for it! Have confidence in your ability – An Interview with Corinne Sherman
November 27, 2018Women Rock 2018 ‘I can, I will ….. watch me!’
January 8, 2019‘Be confident in the fact you are a woman’ – An interview with Holly Nolan
January 17, 2019Codebar Bristol
January 22, 2019“When you have exhausted all the possibilities, remember this – you haven’t” – An interview with Will Hardman, Elucidata.
January 30, 2019People acting together as a group can accomplish things which no individual acting alone could ever hope to bring about.
February 12, 2019“There are still many causes worth sacrificing for, so much history yet to be made.” – An interview with Gill Cooke
February 19, 2019“Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination” – An interview with Charlotte Bella
March 5, 2019‘Dad Jokes’ – An interview with the team at Huggg
March 19, 2019“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” – An interview with Michelle Brideau.
March 26, 2019“If you are always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be.” – An interview with Gina Fielding
April 11, 2019“Don’t try to be ‘one of the lads’.” – An interview with Layla Porter
May 1, 2019“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – An interview with Laura Fritzsche
May 23, 2019“Everything happens for a reason.” – An interview with Verity Foss
May 31, 2019“You can do anything, but not everything!” – An interview with Clare Ross
June 11, 2019“If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” – An interview with Helena Dite
June 18, 2019“A day without laughter is a day wasted.” – An interview with Afroditi Konidari
June 25, 2019One woman can make a difference but together we can rock the world!
July 11, 2019“You can either watch it happen or be a part of it” – An interview with Rida Zainab
July 16, 2019”Be yourself and lead by example!” – An interview with Sarah Rudston
July 24, 2019“To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom” – An interview with Lloyd Watkin
August 6, 2019Bristol named best city for women in business – by Hannah Baker, Bristol Post Business Editor
August 9, 2019“Rule your mind, or it will rule you” – An interview with Jana Dowling
August 13, 2019“All she could do for all of them was be herself, here and now, as hard as she could.” – An interview with Bruce Hughes
August 20, 2019Making Shit Better
August 28, 2019Mayden Academy Diversitech Fund
September 10, 2019“One can never have enough socks” – Meet our newest team member Sophie Edensor
September 18, 2019Carly in Tech
October 1, 2019“The important thing is not to stop questioning.” – An interview with Jacqueline Rodríguez-Pérez
October 9, 2019“Do coding for yourself” – an interview with Sian Richards
October 15, 2019Festival of Female Entrepreneurs 2019 ‘Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you, have energy self-belief, determination and be the very best that you can in your own way.’
October 22, 2019Coding, Rugby, Pub? Pub – An Interview with Sarah Cronk
October 29, 2019“Melting pot of cultures, ethnicity, socio-economic backgrounds, religion, language, gender, orientation, age!” – An Interview Katie Andrews
November 6, 2019“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – An Interview Tiffany Dawson
November 19, 2019“Don’t get lost in the sauce.” – An interview with Alice McNeil
November 26, 2019WTF ……………. is networking?!
December 7, 2019The amount of respect you have for others is in direct proportion to how much respect you have for yourself. Respect everyone! – An interview with Hannah Biggs
December 7, 2019”Rocking around the Christmas Tree” – Soz
December 10, 2019Strength lies in differences. not similarities. Women Rock 2019
January 9, 2020“First make it work. Then make it good. Then make it fast.” – An interview with Sarah Beharry
January 14, 2020“Designer by day, Illustrator by night” – An interview with Kiwani Dolean.
January 21, 2020“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities” – An interview with Muge Ersoy.
January 28, 2020“Blend in with the rest when needed, stand out as required and be able to adapt to meet shortages”- An interview with Liz Simmonds.
February 4, 2020“It’s up to you how far you go. If you don’t try, you will never know!”- An interview with Ana-Maria
February 11, 2020Random.
February 27, 2020”You make your own luck!” An interview with Gill Love
March 3, 2020”Work Hard, Have Fun” – An Interview with the Skinners
March 11, 2020A Boy With Two Hearts – An interview with Hamed Amiri
March 31, 2020“Being confident and believing in your own self-worth is necessary to achieving your potential.” – An Interview with Lucy Grimwade
April 1, 2020”There are 2 sides to every story” – An interview with Alison Wright.
April 7, 2020How do we stop going backwards? by Tiffany Dawson and Alicia Teagle.
June 9, 2020”When you’re not part of a minority group but represent them, it’s powerful.”
June 25, 2020”Don’t let the bastards grind you down.” – An Interview with Paul Forster
July 28, 2020“If you have a fixed idea of your plan, you might not see new opportunities open up.” – An interview with Jane Such
August 10, 2020It’s about driving change and making a positive impact on our industry. From SR2 x
August 18, 2020“Don’t consider it, just go for it!” – An Interview With Carly Britton
September 9, 2020How to be a STEMinist
September 15, 2020“Free to be” – An Interview with Chelsea Dow
October 14, 2020“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right” – An Interview with Avye Couloute
October 20, 2020“It’s about very early support, empowerment and thinking apart from stereotypes.” – An Interview with Dr. Anne Seebach
November 3, 2020“What you think, you become” An interview with Hannah Hawken aka The Duracell Bunny!
November 10, 2020“We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” – An Interview with Emily Lewis
November 17, 2020Mentors, where on earth do you find them? – By Rachel Murray
November 25, 2020”In a world full of weeds choose to be a plant.” An interview with Alina Ungureanu
December 1, 2020Women Rock 2020
December 22, 2020”Go with something that makes you happy” An interview with Ollie Sharpe
January 5, 2021”You have to paddle a lot in order to even have an opportunity to catch a wave” – An interview with Anna Ferfeli
January 12, 2021”Do your best and let them say.” – An interview with Elizabeth Tweedale
January 26, 2021“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so” – An interview with Charles Hoskins
February 3, 2021‘If you believe it, you can achieve it’- An interview with Zineb Leghnider
February 9, 2021”Alis volat propriis” – An interview with Valentina Vacca
February 16, 2021A Message from Alicia
Hey all, I’m Alicia an IT recruiter from Bristol, Yes you heard it, I’m a recruiter. I hope you soon get to realise that we are not all the same, but I won’t bore you with any “blah blah blah” about why I’m different – because this isn’t about me, (well, some of it is), but this is for all the Women in IT, this is for you and this is for us.
Over the last 8 years, I have been a huge supporter for diversity in the tech but always felt I could do so much more, and this is the start of my more. I love to build new relationships every day and in starting this blog I have the backing of some of the UK’s best companies who are supporting this with me, and you’re all invited to join.
Included in this blog will be our conversations with underrepresented folk. We will discuss their successes, their struggles, challenges, and their frustrations about the IT industry from their perspective. I am also a STEM ambassador within schools, promoting the next generation in tech. Also the organiser of Bristol Codebar, our goal is to enable minority group member to learn programming in a safe and collaborative environment and expand their career opportunities. To achieve this, we run free regular workshops, one off events and try to create opportunities for our students making technology and coding more accessible. We also speak with different companies to investigate and showcase what they are doing to help attract, retain and promote diverse talent within their business. There is a lot of really good stuff going on in the industry, I just don’t think we are sharing it and shouting about it enough so that others can follow suit.
I am super passionate about Bristol, with it being my home and the place I spent most of my time recruiting within so I want to create a community of strong ass folk in Bristol a city that champions diversity. But we are not stopping there! I’ll leave you with my favourite quote ‘’ No matter where you are in life, inspire and empower the women around you. Success is never reached alone. And, wisdom and wealth are sweeter shared.’’ #womenrock
Lots of Love
Alicia x