Sheridan Ash, co-CEO of the tech education charity Tech She Can, admits, “My husband has to sew my buttons on – I still can’t sew.” Recognized as this year’s most influential woman in UK technology by Computer Weekly, Ash has always felt a strong urge to challenge the gender stereotypes that hinder women.
In school, she saw a world divided: girls learned sewing and typing while boys took on metalwork and woodwork. Determined to change this, she rallied her classmates, set up a petition, and even had students march outside with placards. The outcome? A shift in the curriculum. “So, I can’t sew or type, but I’m great at welding,” she laughs.
Eight years ago, Ash was at PwC, where the first Tech She Can research took shape. Since then, she’s transitioned to the charity full-time, though her path has been anything but straightforward. Leaving school at 16 without qualifications due to undiagnosed dyslexia, she stumbled into a modeling job after a day of shopping. But that didn’t fulfill her. After addressing her dyslexia, she pursued studies in psychological sciences, worked in pharmaceuticals, and eventually earned an MBA before joining PwC.
At PwC, Ash became acutely aware of the tech diversity gap. “What was going wrong? Why was it so predominantly male?” she wondered. Her efforts to gather data on diversity bore fruit when the firm appointed its first female tech leader. She crafted the company’s technology and innovation strategy, embedding a focus on diversity at its core.
Motivated by her experiences, Ash commissioned research on diversity, culminating in what we now know as Tech She Can. The study revealed that while young people recognized names like Sheryl Sandberg and Ada Lovelace, they wanted relatable role models. “They said they wanted people they could connect with and see a pathway to,” Ash explains.
The findings also showed a troubling trend: girls received less encouragement from adults about tech careers compared to boys. Many expressed a desire for careers that positively impact society, but weren’t aware of how technology could facilitate that change. “They wanted to improve their communities and the world, but didn’t connect technology to those ambitions,” she notes.
Tech She Can seeks to bridge the gap between government, schools, and industry. “We tackle the perception issues and barriers keeping girls from tech,” Ash states, emphasizing the need for teachers’ and children’s voices in the conversation.
Launched as a charter with 18 partner organizations, Tech She Can’s mission is to improve the pipeline of women entering tech. Many young girls are unaware of the variety in tech careers or the paths to achieve them. Ash is passionate about showing girls that they can ensure the tech world is shaped by everyone and not just a select few.
“We’ve got to start addressing these gaps early; children’s understanding of technology roles isn’t strong enough,” she insists. Tech She Can engages in schools, providing resources to help students understand the tech landscape. “We inspire them about careers, not just coding.”
Last year, Ash fully committed to Tech She Can, which now includes 200 partner organizations, 800 champions, and has reached over 130,000 children. The organization makes sure that its partners truly engage with diversity initiatives, training champions to deliver lessons in schools.
During these engagements, champions illustrate how technology functions in the real world, which has altered many children’s perceptions about tech roles and the subjects they choose to study. The organization leverages data, focusing resources where they are needed most to support schools with significant challenges.
Beyond her work at Tech She Can, Ash serves on various boards, driven by her mission to support women’s equality. Yet, even she has moments where she feels the need to channel her inner Wonder Woman.
In her childhood, Wonder Woman represented empowerment for her. “She wanted to do good and have a positive impact, and that resonated with me,” Ash reflects.
Recognized as a role model herself, Ash stresses that technology is not only an enjoyable career but a vital force in shaping the future. She wants every young woman to see they can help create a world where tech doesn’t just reflect a narrow demographic but serves everyone equally.
