Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd will host its annual TechGirls event next week, inviting Year 8 pupils from local schools to its Client Engagement Centre in Houghton Regis in an effort to encourage more young women to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM).
The event, scheduled for 20th November, builds on the success of last year’s Ada Lovelace Day celebration and forms part of Konica Minolta’s wider diversity and inclusion strategy. The company has set targets to close its Gender Pay Gap and achieve gender parity in both leadership and recruitment by 2030.
This year’s programme will include a panel discussion featuring Konica Minolta employees such as Leigh Jolly, Change and Information Security Lead; Rachel Lake, Field Service Delivery Manager; Kathryn Lloyd, Sales Account Manager; and Holly Clark, a former apprentice who recently became Financial Planning and Analyst. The panellists will discuss their career paths and offer advice to students considering futures in STEM.
“Events like TechGirls are vital for breaking down barriers and showing young women that there is a place for them in STEM industries,” said Marta Moreira Rodriguez, Balance Network Lead at Konica Minolta. “By connecting students with real role models and hands-on experiences, we’re helping to shape a more inclusive future for technology.”
Students attending will tour Konica Minolta’s facilities, explore different STEM career paths in the print and technology sectors, and take part in a workshop to design posters promoting women in STEM. The posters will be printed on-site using Konica Minolta’s production print technology, and participants will receive a customised chocolate box produced at the centre.
Konica Minolta’s collaboration with TechGirls and its engagement with local schools align with the company’s focus on early intervention to nurture future talent. The event coincides with the period when students begin selecting their GCSE subjects, offering timely guidance on potential career routes.
Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd, headquartered in Basildon, Essex, provides digital IT and smart data services across public and private sectors. It is part of the global Konica Minolta Group.
