Sky starts the search for outstanding young women in STEM with £25k scholarships

The year-long scheme – launched today – will offer three talented women who wish to pursue a career in technology a £25,000 bursary, communications training and mentoring, as well as access to Sky’s expansive technology network.

Each of the winners will be paired with high calibre mentors who will guide them through the scheme and support them as they develop their skills and pursue their individual projects.

The Women in Technology Scholars scheme is the latest grass roots initiative that Sky has launched to help encourage more women to pursue careers in technology. Research shows that women represent just under half of the UK’s workforce¹, but only one in every six of the STEM workforce are women². Given the significant lack of gender diversity within the technology world, both this new scheme and Sky’s Get into Tech programme aim to provide a unique and supportive environment in which women can learn and hone skills needed for a successful career in this field.

Sky’s Get into Tech initiative launched in March last year has already helped over 100 women with little or no previous technical experience to learn some of the skills necessary to begin a career in software development.

Jeremy Darroch, Group Chief Executive, commented: “This is all about giving young women with a passion for tech a real chance of reaching their full potential.

“There are too few women working in technology. This is a problem that needs resolving, and we’re fully committed to finding that resolution. Our Women in Technology Scholars scheme is a step in the right direction and I’m excited to see how it helps talented women develop their careers.”

Elaine Bucknor, Director for Group Technology Strategy commented: “Our hope is that the scholarships will make a real difference to the careers of these women – it will give them a chance to explore new avenues and build new skills. We will help deliver the right combination of support to ensure they are able to accelerate their careers. As technology continues to evolve and become an ever important part of our lives and our business, I’m proud that Sky are fully committed to challenging the status quo and helping to get more women into tech.”

Applications for the Women in Tech Scholars scheme are open to all women aged 18-25 who demonstrate a passion for technology and a strong commitment to build a career in the media and entertainment industry.

Their interest can be across any field of technology, such as: software development, broadcast engineering, AI and machine learning, robotics, digital, innovation, but should be relevant and relatable to Sky’s business.

The scholars will be selected by a panel of judges who are experts in the industry; between them they have over 90 years of experience in the technology and education sectors. All of them have a passion for technology and to see women fulfil their potential.

This scheme follows on from the successful Sky Sports Scholars programme, which is now entering its third cycle of supporting and funding young athletes. This year the scheme is expanding outside of the UK and Ireland to include Italy and Germany, with 14 places available.

Sky’s scholarship programme is part of Sky’s Bigger Picture, an initiative that focuses on investing in the next generation.

For more information about how to apply, click here.
The deadline for applications is 31st October 2017.
For more information about Sky’s Get into Tech programme, check out http://getintotech.sky.com/
For more information about tech careers at Sky, check out: www.workforsky.com/find-job/technology-and-product...

Notes to editors
Sky’s Bigger Picture is about inspiring more people to participate in sport, at any level; creating new opportunities for young people to express themselves; and taking positive action on major issues and driving change. This is underpinned by a strong commitment to be a responsible business to have a positive environmental footprint, provide customers with the best experience and ensure that Sky is an inclusive employer.

Over the years, Sky has built a strong track record; becoming the world’s first carbon neutral media company in 2006; getting over 1.6 million people to cycle more regularly; building confidence in 500,000 young people using sports; and saving 1 billion trees in the Amazon.

About Sky
Sky is Europe’s leading entertainment company, serving 22.5 million customers across five countries - UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy. The company has annual revenues of £12.9 billion and is Europe’s leading investor in television content with annual programming spend of over £6 billion.

From exclusive partnerships with HBO and Showtime, to Sky Original Productions, Sky offers the best and broadest range of content along with the best viewing experience to suit each and every customer. Whether that’s through the multi-award winning next generation box, Sky Q, or Sky’s contract-free online streaming service, NOW TV, customers have access to the latest movies, drama, sports and kids entertainment wherever and whenever they like. This is all supported by Sky’s best in class customer service.

Sky’s success is not just based on what the company does but how it does it. Named as one of the Top 10 Green Companies in the World by Newsweek, one of the world’s most recognised rankings of business’s environmental performance, Sky ensures its responsible business strategy is embedded right across the group.

Sky has over 31,000 employees and is listed as one of The Times Top 50 employers for women. Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SKY).