I started my career in tech recruitment back in 2008, fresh out of university and growing up in a working-class town in Wigan.
At the time, I didn’t know much about diversity and inclusion as a profession, but I did have a strong sense of fairness and a belief that everyone should have the same opportunities to succeed. As the movement to improve representation of women in technology gathered momentum, my own understanding and passion for the topic grew alongside it.
As my career progressed, I began to see first-hand some of the challenges that women can face in the workplace. This became particularly clear around ten years ago when I was expecting my first child. During that time, my pregnancy was referred to as the “elephant in the room”, my commission was paid to a male colleague while I was on maternity leave, and when I returned, many of my clients had been reassigned and my earnings had significantly reduced.
While those experiences were difficult, they were also a turning point. They gave me a deeper understanding of why representation and why it’s so important that women, particularly in industries such as technology, have advocates, allies and opportunities to thrive.
From then on, I became much more active in driving inclusion, diversity and equity initiatives alongside my day job. I led female leadership workshops, worked with some truly inspiring women, and helped my organisation sign up to the then Tech Talent Charter and Disability Confident Scheme. I also spent time researching and implementing practical ways to improve diversity across the technology sector.
Fast forward to today, and I am the Global Talent Acquisition & Diversity Manager for CAVU and part of our wider Manchester Airport Group Talent & Diversity team.
Working closely with colleagues across the business, we’ve delivered talent attraction strategies that have helped increase female leadership representation from 23% to almost 40%. However, I firmly believe that attracting diverse talent is only part of the story. Creating an environment where people feel they belong and can build long-term careers is just as important. That’s why I continue to work closely with our Inclusion, Diversity and Equity teams on initiatives that support retention and belonging. These range from practical workplace improvements, such as providing a multi-purpose room that can be used by breastfeeding mothers, to celebrating important cultural moments such as Juneteenth and embedding flexible and hybrid working practices as part of our employee value proposition.
Ultimately, my goal isn’t simply to make CAVU and MAG an inclusive place to work. It’s to help create opportunities, remove barriers and ensure that the next generation of diverse talent can see a future for themselves in industries where they may not always have seen people like them before.
Looking ahead, I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to support MAG’s inclusive recruitment strategy and contribute across the wider group. MAG has a unique ability to influence thousands of careers and experiences, and with that comes a real opportunity to build a workforce that reflects the communities we serve.
