Return to the tech sector - Women ReBOOT will get you ready!

Taking a long career break for any reason can leave you feeling discouraged and obsolete. Thankfully, you couldn't be more wrong! Tech companies hire people not qualifications & they miss your experience - they need YOU back!  These companies look at the whole person and the skills that they bring from inside and outside of work. That means they recognise that Mums and women who have taken a career break are the ultimate project managers, fast decision makers, effective people managers, communicators and empathisers. All of these competencies are high on tech companies recruiting ‘wish list’. There is now a programme that you can join that offers you workshops, training, individual coaching, networking, in-house placements with sponsor companies with paid internship rates that allow you to cover the cost of childcare, travel and any other basic costs associated with your work placement. At the end of the work placement you may be offered a position within the sponsoring company, or you can apply for open positions elsewhere in the sector. Does this sound like you? Currently unemployed. Keen to return to work in the technology sector. Have an IT/ICT related Degree – or other relevant qualification. Able to participate in Dublin. 5+ years prior experience.   Dust off your binary finery and reboot your career There has never been a better time to bring your skills and experience back to the technology sphereWith job openings mushrooming, there are a wide variety of roles and opportunities for women who have previously worked in tech. This is not only in software development or engineering but also project management, customer support, quality and test, service or sales management, business analysis and more. Technology is pervasive across all sectors, so the tech sector also wants people from other sectors who are comfortable working in a tech environment. We want IT, not Guy T The tech industry is yearning to attract more women to join. And why? Well firstly, and most obviously, follow the money: gender diverse technology companies have been proven to financially outperform those with a greater gender divide, especially when women occupy high-ranking positions. A fact most ably demonstrated by the most valuable tech brands in the world. Outside of the boardroom and the bottom line, diversity plays a hugely positive role in all areas of business. A broader cross section of ages and genders within a team brings a greater range of work experience, ethics and styles, creating fresh ideas, enhancing innovation and increasing productivity. Age and experience needn’t date you, but make you more relevant and valuable as a balance to the rest of a team. Don’t hesitate, reactivate! Did you know that there are 6,000 technology jobs expected to open up in Ireland every year? Only half of these will be filled by college graduates. So your skills in technology, however dormant, are more in demand than ever before. There are a myriad of ways for you to build on your existing skill-base and bring yourself up to, and even ahead of the curve of the fast-moving tech landscape. So Go For IT! There’s never been a better time for experienced women to recalibrate their tech skills and reactivate their careers.  You’ve got far more to offer than you’d think!

• Over 50 women have completed the ReBOOT programme and have updated technology skills, honed their interview skills, and developed new career plans.
• 3 out of every 4 participants immediately re-enter the tech sector after completing the ReBOOT programme.

Could you be next? The Women ReBOOT Programme is led by Technology Ireland and funded by Skillnets Ireland. It has been developed by the Software Skillnet and is provided free to participants. The programme provides workshops, personal coaching, introductions to companies, online technology training, and paid work placements.   If you want to join the next ReBOOT programme, come along to the information evening on 2 May 2018.  

Women ReBOOT is a 6 month part-time programme for experienced and talented ICT women who have taken a career break from the technology sector and now want to return to work. Join other like-minded women who share your ambitions, concerns and challenges and take the first step back into IT. ReBOOT Programme 2018 The ReBOOT programme is free and has 2 stages. Stage 1 is a 3 month professional development process which will rebuild your skills and give you the confidence to re-enter the workplace. Stage 2 is a 2 month career transition stage. Here you will have a work placement in a technology company to give you up to date experience and familiarise yourself with today’s technology sector. Stage 1 | June – October 2018 In stage 1 you will take part in workshops, training, individual coaching, and networking with staff from a wide range of companies.Professional Development Workshops (4 x 1 day seminars)

• Update your CV
• Refine your interview skills
• Network with industry professionals
• Find relevant opportunities in the marketplace

Technology Deep Dive – (2 days)

• Get to know the changes in the technology sector in recent years
• Re-introducing you to the terminology used and helping you to make sense of some of the buzzwords used in the ICT sector.

Coaching and Mentoring (4 x 1 hour sessions)

• Coaching and mentoring from qualified coaches throughout the programme.
• These sessions will support you in addressing your unique challenges, boost your confidence and self belief, and strengthen your interview skills.

Online Learning Platform – Pluralsight learning platform

• Access online learning that been developed for the technology industry and is directly relevant to current market opportunities.
• Update your specific technology skills
• Access the platform online and learn in your own time.

Stage 2 | October 2018 – January 2019 In-Company Work Experience Our sponsor companies offer a range of work placements in a variety of roles. Companies select participants for interview and offer placements to those participants that best fit with the roles. During the work placement you will receive further training, mentoring and company support to build your professional and technical skills. Work placements are an opportunity to show your strengths and potential. They provide recent experience for your CV and allow you to familiarise yourself with the work practices of today’s technology companies. They also give you insight into job roles and positions opening up in our sponsor companies. All of our work-placements are paid at internship rates. This allows you to cover the cost of childcare, travel and any other basic costs associated with your work placement. At the end of the work placement you may be offered a position in the sponsoring company, or apply for open positions among our company group or elsewhere in the sector. Check out what some of the recent ReBOOT participants have to say about their experience and if this sounds like what you’re looking for, be sure to book in for our information evening on 2 May.  More Information; http://womenreboot.ie/