Event round-up: techUK x LGA women in digital government

Celebrating women working in technology roles in local government, as well as industry. The event focused on the importance of diversity and inclusivity in the tech workforce, particularly highlighting women's roles in technology.

The speakers, from both local government and industry, described their career journeys, barriers they have overcome and what both the tech and local government sector can learn from each other to continue increasing women representation and progression across our sectors.

Speakers:

• Sarah Pena,  Service Manager - Digital Innovation Service Manager - Digital Innovation, Wokingham Borough Council
• Rehana Ramesh, Director - ICT, Digital and Customer Services, London Borough of Hackney
• Kat Sexton, Head of Function - Product at Birmingham City Council
• Amanda Whicher, UK&I Director at Hays, Women in Tech Advocate, helping shape the technology workforce of tomorrow and Skills Lead for the Local Public Services Committee, techUK
• Rebekah Wilson, Programme Manager (Cyber, Digital and Technology), the Local Government Association

techUK’s Local Public Services Committee (LPSC), published a report, which is the result of our ongoing commitment to providing meaningful insights that empower Local Government leaders to shape the future of technology. Through extensive analysis of survey data, the survey has uncovered key trends, identified barriers, and explored strategies to support the growth of a diverse and skilled workforce.

Amanda Whicher, presented insights from the survey, report that delves into the evolving workforce and skills landscape within the Local Government sector. conducted by the LPSC highlights the challenges but also provides recommendations to drive positive change and ensure that everyone can benefit from the opportunities of digital transformation and is something which will be discussed during this session. Amanda urged participants to reflect on their roles as allies and mentors in fostering a supportive environment for women in tech.

• 29% of local authorities identify talent retention as their primary internal challenge for 2025. This statistic aligns with broader industry findings where 57% of organisations across sectors also cite talent retention as a key issue.
• Additionally, 74% of employees in local government technology roles feel they lack adequate training and support for their professional development.
• The report also indicates that 50% of women in technology feel that gender has impacted their career progression.
• 80% express a desire to advance into leadership roles. This highlights a critical gap between aspiration and opportunity, suggesting that both organisational culture and individual accountability are essential in addressing these barriers.

The panellists shared their experiences and the evolving landscape for women in technology., discussing the importance of creating psychologically safe environments where individuals feel empowered to take risks and innovate. The conversation also outlined the need for flexibility in work-life balance and the significance of mentorship programs to encourage women to pursue careers in technology. There is a big role of representation in shaping the future workforce, noting that visibility of women in technology roles can inspire the next generation. They advocate for community engagement initiatives, such as visiting schools to share experiences and demystify careers in technology, thus encouraging young women to consider these paths.

The overarching message is one of collective responsibility to create a more inclusive and diverse tech industry.

Call to action:

1. Mentorship and Training:
   • The importance of mentorship programmes
   • We need creative ways to provide training and development opportunities within local government.
2. Leadership and Work-Life Balance:
   • The evolving perception of leadership, emphasising empathy, inclusion, and collaboration.
   • The importance of creating psychologically safe environments for innovation.
3. Practical Tips for Inclusivity:
   • Addressing unconscious bias.
   • Improving HR policies.
   • Encouraging women to take on new roles and responsibilities.
4. Early Career Engagement:
   • Storytelling – creating a narrative
   • Mentorship programmes
   • Tangible inclusion in projects
5. Representation and Visibility:
   • The importance of representation and visibility, encouraging individuals to share their experiences and engage with schools to inspire the next generation.

Conclusion:

This event highlights the critical need for ongoing dialogue and action to improve diversity within technology and local government sectors. The insights highlight the importance of collaboration between public and private sectors to create supportive environments that foster talent development and retention, particularly for women. We all need to leverage our networks and influence, to drive positive change in our organisations and communities.

If you would like to get involved, please contact the techUK LPS team, and the LGA can be contacted here - [email protected]

Alison Young

Associate Director Local Public Services, techUK

Alison Young is the Associate Director Local Public Services.

Alison has background in International Trade & Investment, with experience in the public, private and third sector, advising on international trade, new markets, inward investment and working closely with UK cities and regions around investment into innovation and partnerships and technology. Prior to joining techUK, she has her own consulting business and was Head of Global Investment with the Connected Places Catapult. This role had a focus on FDI around the built environment and mobility, working across NetZero mobility projects in the UK and globally. She worked closely with the Innovation Districts Group, to foster and network of knowledge sharing and helped set up the Freeport Innovation Network, to foster innovation in the context of freeports with a focus on investment. 

She spent six years living and working in the Middle East, with the Department for Business and Trade. Based first in Oman,  leading on a number of sectors, from Education to Infrastructure, then based in the UAE, setting up the Technology and Smart Cities sector, with a core focus on AI and Fintech.

She is passionate about economic growth for the UK, to create jobs and opportunities; the green agenda and the decarbonisation of transport. She has a degree in Russian Studies MA, from the University of Edinburgh and is currently learning Arabic. 

Email:

[email protected]

Phone:

+44 (0) 20 7331 2029

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonayoung/

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techUK’s TechTogether campaign, taking place throughout March, is a collection of activities highlighting the UK’s technology sector pursuit to shape a more equitable future. In 2025 we are exploring: Inclusive AI, investing in diverse founders and entrepreneurs, the power of allyship and mentorship, and empowering young people.