Over the past three months, I’ve been part of a diverse and dynamic cohort of women from across Scotland’s tech ecosystem, representing public, private, and third-sector organisations, taking part in the Empowering Women to Lead Digital Transformation programme.
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, not only from a professional development opportunity perspective, but also being given the chance to connect with like-minded women, each bringing their own unique perspective, expertise, and energy. The relationships forged through this experience feel like a lifelong network of support, collaboration, and inspiration. Crucially for me, the programme didn’t just teach us about leadership — by creating a welcoming and supportive environment it showed us the value of lifting each other up and building inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive.
Working in smaller teams, our journey culminated in a graduation event in Edinburgh, where we presented our Challenge Projects to industry peers. My team were tasked with exploring the ways in which emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) are reshaping workplaces across Scotland, looking specifically at areas such as the fears and risks around AI replacing the workforce, and how AI is shaping different industries. In addition to presenting our findings, we drafted a blog post which looked at specific applications and approaches to using AI from our collective experiences.
This graduation marks the end of a chapter, but also the beginning of a new journey - here’s to breaking barriers, building communities, and leading the way for a more inclusive and diverse tech sector!