The future is bright for women in tech
Bella Abrams, Director of Information Technology.
![A photo of Bella Abrams - image](http://cdn.sheffield.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/mobile_single_column_1x/public/2020-06/Bella.jpg?itok=bbWwUarx&h=93150794)
I've now been at the University for a year as the Director of Information Technology and I’ve decided to use my position to encourage other women of varying backgrounds and ages to choose careers in IT.
Previously, I have developed boot camp style apprenticeship programmes with Sheffield College that encourage women to develop IT skills at any stage of their career.
At the University I have mentored sixth form students from Longley Park College in Sheffield and set up an internship programme for mainly female students from a deprived area of the city to have experience working in a large IT team and I am a founder member of Sheffield Women in IT, encouraging women at all stages of their careers to progress and have confidence in themselves.
According to figures from recruiters Harvey Nash, women make up 12 per cent of senior IT directors or chief information officers and in HE the figure is closer to four per cent.