In July, I began a new role at Microsoft, which has meant that I have spent most of the summer feeling like the new girl at school.

It can be an unsettling feeling, after a long time knowing exactly what to do in almost every situation, to suddenly feeling that you know very little. Almost nothing makes sense and you’re quite unsure of where you can add value.

It is, however, also incredibly exciting (not to mention quite tiring!) to spend most of every day learning.

Be a learn-it-all not a know-it-all

Microsoft’s embrace a ‘learn-it-all’ culture – as opposed to a ‘know-it-all’ – encourages everyone to regularly take time out of our working week to learn something new, and experiment with innovative ideas.

We know these might fail. But even in failure, we’ll have learnt something. Whilst we have been living this growth mindset culture for some years now, it’s rare that we get the opportunity to be immersed in learning almost all the time.

Whilst most of us in the Western world have been fortunate enough to have access to education, globally, it remains out of reach for 72 million children – 54% of them girls. These girls can only dream of the most basic education, let alone worrying about ‘upskilling for the future’.

But upskilling for the future is essential if we’re to harness the value that technology offers us. Already, we’re beginning to see how technology like digital whiteboards is transforming the classroom experience. I have colleagues working to improve education from the ground up in remote areas. And, in my extended role as Vice-Chair of the Women@Microsoft UK board, I’m proud to be able to help introduce new learning opportunities to women here in the UK, both inside and outside Microsoft.

Introducing Data Science bootcamps

I’m not only passionate about encouraging personal development in others. Here at Microsoft, I’m privileged to be able to continue my own learning journey.

The Internet of Things is one area I’ve focused on, learning about the technical aspects behind this incredible, transformative technology. Not only that, I’ve written my very first machine learning model, taken a neuroscience leadership course, and have completed the second module of my Social Psychology degree.

Not everyone has access to these learning opportunities. I wanted to bring some of them to women across the UK – and that idea led us to our Data Science Bootcamps. Launched on International Women’s Day, these bootcamps were designed to give women a first step into the world of data science. I did this for two reasons: I wanted to bring the learning from the inside out, and also there are simply not enough data scientists in the UK for us to really leverage the data-driven world we now live in.

We held nine bootcamps across eight locations. 660 women applied for positions. With only room for 100, we accepted 120, expecting a drop out, and 96 turned up. Of the 96 people that attended, 52 have completed at least their first certificate in Microsoft’s online data science course. Some have gone on to complete many more, and are well on their way to their first qualification in the subject.

Of course, there’s a lot more to data science than an online course of 10 modules, but this gives learners the basics from which to build.

As Maggie Woodward, who attended the Glasgow bootcamp, hosted by our partner, Incremental Group told us:

‘Although this module, and the rest that make up the Microsoft certification in Data Science, can be studied online, it was far more beneficial to attend this bootcamp to learn and share with like-minded peers, as well as hear the experiences of senior women in the field of data science. The staff and office at Incremental were very welcoming, and although we covered a lot, it didn’t feel rushed. It was great to get the certificate of completion, and a proud addition to my CPD. Best of all, a few months after attending, my employer advertised an opportunity for a Graduate Apprenticeship in Data Science. Armed with my learning from the bootcamp, as well as the industry knowledge from our hosts, I created a strong application that was accepted. I’m looking forward to starting my degree this September.’

Skilling up for the future

Our ultimate goal with these bootcamps is to enable women returning to work, or transferring from other fields, to learn a new skill, and find a new role somewhere in the world of tech.

While these positions exist at Microsoft HQ, working with our partners means those attending the events could look for local work in these fields. Whilst the women who attended these events have been busy continuing their studies at home, we’ve been planning a series of ‘Careers Fairs’ with each of the partners that hosted an event. This gives them an opportunity to re-engage with their host partner, understand more about potential available roles, get CV tips and advice, and generally set themselves up to pursue a career in data science.

Our initial Data Science Bootcamps were very much a pilot scheme. We’ve learnt so much from these events – because, after all, we do see every experience as an opportunity to learn – and we’re now keen to give even more women a boost in the tech world.

If you like the sound of exploring data science and would be interested in attending a future bootcamp, email womenindatascience@microsoft.com.

Until the next bootcamp, I’m going back to an online course learning more about IoT Edge and Azure Sphere. I hope you have the opportunity to learn something today, this week or this month. If you don’t know where to start, Microsoft Learn is a great first step!

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About the author

Ella is a business development manager for IoT at Microsoft EMEA, where she also enjoys an additional role as Vice-Chair of the Women @ Microsoft UK board. Working in technology, Ella spent a lot of time in the early part of her career being the only woman in the room. Determined to re-address the balance in any way she can, Ella is passionate about creating inclusive environments, harnessing the power of both genders, and inspiring the next generation into technology. She is a STEM Ambassador and a Modern Muse. 

The post The joy of learning: How our data science bootcamps empower women appeared first on Microsoft Industry Blogs - United Kingdom.

I’ve been working in the tech sector for 20 years. So far, it’s given me amazing experiences and countless fantastic opportunities. Recently, I found myself reflecting on the tech jobs I’ve had over the past two decades. I thought about how much had changed, in terms of the world, the industry, and myself.

Personally, I don’t listen to TLC anymore (ok, sometimes they sneak onto my Spotify). I no longer need a special password to access the internet. And I am usually not the only woman in a room anymore.

The shift in gender balance within the industry and the companies I have worked for has been gradual but steady, and momentum has gathered pace in recent years. As someone who works for a very inclusive company, I realise I am in a privileged position. Microsoft has a well-established programme to deliver gender equality across all areas. I also work in business development, which tends to have a more equal gender balance than other sectors of the technology industry.

However, in other areas, and for other women, the story is not so simple. When we think about being inclusive and diverse, we can’t forget about intersectionality. And that means making sure that we foster an environment which is fair and open to all.

Balance for better

This year, International Women’s Day is all about #balanceforbetter. Diversity and inclusion create a more innovative, happy workforce. That’s why our campaign for International Women’s Day this year ensures we create opportunities for women from a range of different backgrounds and geographical locations.

My role in our independent software vendor (ISV) business means I get to work with some amazing software developers, cloud architects, and data scientists across a range of industries, as well as collaborate with other channel partners. When I attend meetings, there are often discussions around the challenge of finding and building digital skills, particularly in data science. There seems to be a groundswell of concern across our ecosystem. Hiring data scientists is hard, because there is a serious shortage. When I looked at the research, there were some interesting statistics – 80 percent of UK businesses plan to hire a data scientist in 2019. According to a recent Forbes article (cited in Harnham.com), only 26 percent of data jobs in the US are held by women, with that number halving for the UK.

Given that 93 percent of data scientists earn more than the average UK wage, and knowing the importance of having gender balance across all roles, I want to encourage more women to become data scientists.

Closing the gender skills gap

We have so many fantastic people working at Microsoft. And these incredibly talented people want to come out into the community to support those who are considering a career in the technology sector. We know there are many women leaving other industries. We know there are not enough women in tech. And we know that there are not enough data scientists in the UK. We also know our partners are finding it difficult to hire data scientists, too. Could we, perhaps, make some small change to take us a step closer to solving these problems?

To help address the gender skills gap we’re currently being challenged with, we’ve launched a plan to run nine data science bootcamps across the UK on the 2nd May. Facilitated by our channel partners; Amido, ANS Group, BJSS, DevOps Group, DSP, Grey Matter, and Kainos & Incremental, our aim is to host 100 women and support them through their first module of our Microsoft Professional Programme qualification in Data Science. They will then go on to study online from home over the next six months, before returning to their host partner site for a recruitment day.

We aim to have at least half these women to gain their qualification within six months of the bootcamp, with as many as possible securing their first data science role shortly thereafter. We’re excited to launch this for International Women’s Day and hope it will be something that we can repeat.

Paying it forward

I’ve been lucky enough to be supported by some amazing women throughout my career, and I want to pay that forward by offering other women the opportunity to explore the wonder of tech. We are also encouraging those women to pay it forward to others who are less fortunate. The training course and first certificate will be provided free of charge, but we are asking for a nominal £10 donation from each delegate, which will be donated to Smart Works. Best of all, Microsoft will match each donation pound for pound.

To support our outreach and promotion of these bootcamps, we’ve profiled five amazing data scientists here at Microsoft to share their experiences and tips for becoming a data scientist.

Of course, we’re not just focusing our efforts on addressing the gender skills gap for today only. We need to continuously work to inspire the next generation of girls to pursue a career in the tech sector. That’s why we’re running our #makerchampion projects at schools across the UK to change perceptions and inspire girls to pursue STEAM subjects. For more information on that initiative, read this blog from my colleague Sarah Hedley – our UK Digital Skills Lead.

Get involved

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About the author

Ella is the UK ISV (Independent Software Vendor) Lead at Microsoft, where she also enjoys an additional role as Vice-Chair of the Women @ Microsoft board. Working in technology, Ella spent a lot of time in the early part of her career being the only woman in the room. Determined to re-address the balance in any way she can, Ella is passionate about creating inclusive environments, harnessing the power of both genders, and inspiring the next generation into technology. She is a STEM Ambassador and a Modern Muse.

The post Why women should consider a role in data science appeared first on Microsoft Industry Blogs - United Kingdom.