Skills, Talent and Diversity updates
Sign-up to get the latest updates and opportunities from our Skills, Talent and Diversity programme.
Interview with Jo Etheridge, VP and MD of Leidos UK’s National Security and Defence Division
Jo Etheridge is the Vice President and Managing Director of the National Security and Defence Division. In this interview she shares her reflections on women in technology, diversity and inclusion, and how to overcome a lack of technical experience in the industry.
Jo’s journey in technology began with a placement year at Fujitsu during her third year of university where she discovered her enjoyment of delivering services that benefit consumers and wider society.
Jo stated that navigating a career in tech with a business degree required her to learn on the job – the upside being that you often ask questions that may not have occurred to others. The most important lesson Jo learned in the early part of her career was to not place too much pressure on individual knowledge, but to focus on the team and the value of shared knowledge. Diversity of thought and experience, in this regard, is something that Jo says is a very helpful tool for overcoming knowledge blind spots.
In terms of workplace culture, Jo shared that she is fortunate to have never experienced direct discrimination. She did, however, reflect upon being underestimated. “I would say I have been underestimated many times either due to age or gender, I don’t believe ever deliberately. I have quite enjoyed the odd time of surprising or proving people wrong in that scenario. It has never held me back, only spurred me on.”
Jo noted that AI, Automation and Software development are areas of technology that are becoming increasingly more relevant in today’s industry, in place of waterfall and more traditional IT. Data centricity, she noted, must be at the centre and heart of what we do given that vast amounts of data are being produced in “everything we do.”
When asked how companies can act upon diversity and inclusion through tangible measures, Jo highlighted the point of reviewing job advertisements and in particular, the language used to write them. She noted that different groups read and interpret language differently, and technology and defence job advertisements typically stick to the same vocabulary. Jo pointed out that “women in particular tend to respond to different language and prioritisation of skills.”
Jo noted that employers should not limit themselves to experience bias and create barriers to entry. She highlighted that qualities like the aptitude to learn and inquisitiveness will bring a different perspective to companies, which is inherently valuable - Leidos itself is committed to increasing representation throughout our workforce with recruitment and trading programmes.
When asked what advice she would give to those who want to become better allies but are not sure where to start, Jo stated that being “inquisitive to others experiences and asking questions” is a good place to begin.
One aspect that Jo would like to see change in the industry is seeing more women in technical and engineering roles, “bringing creativity and different ways of thinking to create even more innovation”, which would have a seismic impact on the success of the industry in the long-term.
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.
Upcoming Events
Authors
Jo Etheridge
Jo Etheridge, Vice President & Managing Director, National Security & Defence, Division, Leidos UK and Europe.