Women in Channel Community: A brilliant first event and big plans for the future
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'It's not about excluding men, it's about spotlighting women.'
At its core, Women in Channel exists to address an imbalance. Women still make up less than 20% of the UK telecoms workforce, and, dare we say it, the industry continues to carry a somewhat dated image. It often feels exclusive and uninviting to women. This is something we’ve reflected on a lot, and a thought that was strongly reinforced at our first Women in Channel event, where we heard from women across the industry. Many of them had ‘stumbled into’ the IT and telecoms sector.
Despite being an exciting place to work, it’s not necessarily top of the list when it comes to the career aspirations of young women.
That’s why this community matters. Women in Channel isn’t just a networking initiative. It’s a movement intended to create opportunities for mentorship, shared experiences, and stronger peer connections. We’re working to make the sector more inclusive, and ultimately more reflective of the diverse talent it needs to thrive.
The first event
Our inaugural Women in Channel event was a real success, and the feedback we’ve received has made us so proud to be leading this initiative. It has also truly validated why it was needed in the first place.
“I genuinely found the day such a great opportunity to meet and speak with other women within Channel and to hear their experiences and how they got to where they are.”
Kerry, Dubber
We spent a relaxed day in the Kent countryside, focusing on building genuine connections rather than pushing sales pitches or formal work discussions. The diversity of inspiring women from across the tech industry made the day what it was: meaningful, memorable, and a brilliant start to what we hope will be lasting momentum.
“It was a spectacular first event and massive Kudos to all who planned and organised, truly one of the best events I've had the pleasure of attending in my (close on) 30 years in the industry.”
Jackie, Eclipsenet
There was also a clear appetite for more. More in-person events. Regular networking meet-ups. The introduction of mentorship programmes. We’re now actively working on ways to keep everyone engaged and informed between events.
Bear with us as we find the right balance between in-person gatherings and accessible, less time-intensive virtual touchpoints, because there’s definitely demand for both. It’s a clear sign that women in tech want spaces where they can connect, learn, and support one another all year round.
What’s next?
Our focus now is on continuing to build this exceptional community of women, and starting to turn that sense of connection into tangible action.
We’re exploring what our next get-together will look like, as well as ideas for how we keep the engagement, information sharing and this fledgling community front of mind. We’re looking into specific themes and a more formal approach to sharing experiences and learnings, and we’ll be looking for speakers and contributors on topics such as:
- How we can encourage more women into the industry from the start of their career (rather than stumbling into it), and looking at what this means from a career awareness point of view
- How we can better support and mentor each other (especially in such a competitive sector)
- Sharing of personal stories about career journey learnings and reflections
If you’re interested in getting involved, we’d love to hear from you. The Women in Channel Community is open to all women working in IT, tech, telecoms, and the wider channel. So whether you’re just starting your career or you’re a seasoned channel veteran with knowledge to share, please reach out to Teigan or Emmeline to register your interest. In the meantime, we’ll leave you with a final piece of feedback from one of our attendees…
“I’ve never felt more proud than I do today to be a woman in the IT/channel industry. For a younger woman in the channel, it’s truly inspirational.”
- Charlotte, Millgate
