Teaching 'intro to web'

As a woman in the tech industry, I’m aware of the significant gender gap in the industry. To try and bridge this gap and empower more women to explore tech as a career choice, I became a sessional lecturer and started teaching at Farnborough College.

My journey into teaching began when one of my old lecturers got in touch with me and asked if Rawnet would like to collaborate with the college to provide the students with some ‘real-world’ work. Rawnet eagerly said yes to this opportunity and put together a brief to create marketing campaign material. After a couple of weeks, the students were then asked to pitch their ideas to the Rawnet team who judged the material and chose a winning group which then had the opportunity to come into the Rawnet office and experience agency life.

Following this opportunity, I was invited to the Farnborough College of Technology Industry Committee’s annual dinner. During this dinner, we discussed the Graphic Design Degree curriculum, making sure the teaching programmes and skills being taught are still relevant to the industry. The programme manager for Art & Design and Vice Principal of Higher Education then asked if I would be interested in sessional lecturing. 

Initially, I was hesitant - worried that I didn’t have enough knowledge to pass on to others or even capable of teaching but, after much thought, I realised I would be the expert in the classroom and it would be an excellent opportunity to give back to the community. 

I began teaching ‘Introduction to Web’ to first-year students and ‘Interactive Design’ to second-year students studying for a Graphic Design degree at University Centre Farnborough in November 2021. As well as lecturing, my responsibilities include lesson planning, creating Internal Statements of Work, grading work and supporting my student’s tech knowledge development.

Teaching at Farnborough has helped me realise how important it is to give back to the community and share my knowledge with others, inspiring me to help develop ‘Rawnet Academy’, an initiative to provide young talent with work experience and internship roles at Rawnet. The academy aims to build partnerships with universities and colleges, participate  in work experience schemes and attend talks to help connect with students interested in tech. 

I believe it is vital to encourage women to get into tech, women bring diverse perspectives, ideas and skills to the table, and it is important to have a workforce that reflects the society we live in. I’m hoping my passion for tech will inspire some of my students to consider a career in the industry.