June 24, 2026
On 30 April 2026, we had the privilege of joining Next Tech Girls as the headline sponsor for their early careers session at Manchester Tech Week. Whilst Equal Experts sponsored alongside Mastek and Moonpig to make the event possible, the day truly belonged to the participants and the team at Next Tech Girls, who are doing the vital work of opening doors in the tech industry.
Next Tech Girls is an award-winning social enterprise dedicated to empowering young women, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to explore careers in technology. For us, this wasn’t a difficult ask; the event bore all the hallmarks of things we care deeply about:
What impressed us most was how quickly the atmosphere in the room changed. By focusing on real-world experience rather than polished corporate presentations, Next Tech Girls and our colleagues from HMRC helped demystify what a career in tech actually looks like.
The feedback from the young women who attended was a powerful reminder of why this work matters. By the end of the session, 95% of participants said they were now interested in a career in tech. What’s more, confidence levels had shifted dramatically: those feeling “very confident” about pursuing a tech career rose from 27% to 73% in just a few hours!
This fantastic day succeeded precisely because it was about real people and real experiences. One of the things attendees rated most highly was hearing about real career journeys from industry professionals. One participant commented that listening to these stories gave her a “much clearer picture” of what tech roles involved, and how to work towards them.
We were thrilled to be joined by two of our colleagues from HMRC. Georgia Ogden, Senior Project Manager, led an interactive challenge that asked the girls to think about how they might improve public digital services. The challenge encouraged participants to tackle technical problems in a low-pressure environment. It truly led to breakthrough moments; one 17-year-old participant, who confessed she would usually do anything to get out of public speaking, described presenting in small groups as a “fun experience.”
Additionally, Dena Habashi-Ayub, Platform Owner responsible for Platform and Infrastructure in Enterprise Integration Services (EIS) HMRC, joined a panel of amazing speakers to share her personal journey into tech and some of the exciting challenges she tackles daily.
This was unarguably an event with a difference. Participants left the day with more than just information and brochures; they walked away with:
For a partner like our client HMRC, this event was a chance to connect directly with future talent and demonstrate what social value looks like in practice: visible, measurable and genuinely inclusive. A remarkable 91% of participants said they would now consider working for the event sponsors, showing a strong appetite for employers who take the time to engage early.
At Equal Experts, we believe that a thriving tech ecosystem depends on a diverse range of inputs and voices. We are so proud to have supported Next Tech Girls in their mission to build a more inclusive community of women in tech. As Ayoola, one of the participants, put it: “The energy in the room was brilliant… it was so refreshing to be surrounded by women who are passionate about building careers in tech”.
We’re really grateful to have been involved in this fascinating day, and to have witnessed what Next Tech Girls and HMRC are capable of inspiring in the young women of Manchester. We look forward to seeing how they develop and continue to shape Manchester’s tech community in the future and we are keen to continue sponsoring future Next Tech Girls events.
All business models have their pros and cons. But, when you consider the type of problems we help our clients to solve at Equal Experts, it’s worth thinking about the level of experience and the best consultancy approach to solve them.
If you’d like to find out more about working with us – get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.
