Centres

SET Women - Leicestershire Women in Science Engineering & Technology

e-Book - Jackie Edwards - IT Lecturer and Aurora Blackberry Women in Technology Award Winner

"Women need to be part of designing the future - or it won't suit us."

Jackie has a handmade doll her mother created for her that is a reminder of the path she has taken: one half is a homemaker with a cleaning rag and comfortable clothes. Flip it over, and there's a princess in a gorgeous gown. "I went from cleaning up after my kids a few years ago to now accepting an award in London in front of all of those impressive people," she says modestly. "I do believe it's never too late to go for it!"

De Montfort University runs a nationally acclaimed course called "Women's Access to IT" or WAIT for short. This full time course is free to EU citizens who do not hold A-levels or any other formal educational qualifications and can lead into degree programmes in computer science and engineering.

Jackie studied on this course in 1997 and was soon convinced of its importance and her own desire to help it succeed. So she then became a lecturer on the WAIT courses where she has been teaching for the past eight years. "I love my job. One of my proudest moments has been watching one of my students go from not knowing how to turn a computer on to now holding a computer science degree. Priceless!"

Inspired by the impact WAIT has had on women like herself, Jackie sought additional ways of reaching into the community to spread awareness. "I decided I wanted to promote IT careers for other women, to raise the percentage of us in the IT workforce from 22% to something closer to the 50% potential available." She started by just walking through neighbourhoods and handing out leaflets, sometimes giving a presentation or two. Her main message was of the employability of graduates with a SET degree: "Science, Engineering and Technology are the future - no industrial sector exists that does not rely on SET."

With determination and effort, she sought and was awarded £130,000, which has helped her develop the Leicester Communities into ICT programme. Through this programme and with the organisational help of the LeicestHERday Trust, Jackie travels around the region with a robotic dog, giving lively and motivational presentations about the exciting work available to those with a computer science degree. "I tell them the truth, that the opportunities are there if they want them."

It was this fearless determination to get more women into IT that got Jackie recognised by the Blackberry Aurora committee for Women in Technology. She was nominated for the award in Academic achievements, but she honestly didn't believe she would win and nearly didn't attend the ceremony. "A trip to London after a full day of work and then a late night back didn't appeal to me at all. My husband finally convinced me I should attend." Jackie was surprised not only to have won in her category but also to have been given the overall prize. "I often wonder what they would have done if I had chosen not to go!"

Jackie admits her rewards were hard won, but that the work is worth it for those who want to pursue an IT career. "It would be foolish of me to tell women it will be all plain sailing, but I offer myself as a sounding board for advice."

Learn more about Jackie Edwards' work:
WAIT Course
Aurora Blackberry Award

Images courtesy of LeicestHERday Trust and De Montfort University.