Media
Very hosts local high school students to encourage more girls into tech
March 6, 2023
The Very Group, Liverpool-based operator of Very, welcomed 100 year-nine students from two local high schools on 3 March 2023 to give them a taste of life at the digital retailer and encourage more girls into technology careers.
The event was organised alongside InnovateHer, a North West social enterprise which helps girls into tech, and saw students from all-girls schools Holly Lodge Girls’ College and Broughton Hall High School in West Derby, Liverpool, spend half a day at Very’s headquarters in Speke.
Alongside a tour of the company campus, the students heard from a range of inspirational speakers, including interns, apprentices, graduates and technologists, about their lives and careers at Very, and the different routes they took into careers in digital retail.
The event follows Very re-confirming its commitment to increase gender diversity in the tech sector by partnering with InnovateHer for a fifth consecutive year in November 2022.
The two organisations are working with Holly Lodge Girls’ College and Broughton Hall High School in Liverpool to raise awareness of tech career opportunities among girls aged 13 to 16 through inspirational events, courses and mentoring.
The retailer will also fund access to InnovateHer’s learning portal for 400 students, helping them to develop the skills required to work in tech.
Since 2018, 750 students have taken part in activities organised jointly by The Very Group and InnovateHer, including a mentoring scheme led by a 30-strong cohort of Very volunteers.
Chris Dawes, head of academies at Very, said: “We’re committed to supporting diversity in technology and retail. Partnering with InnovateHer is vitally important in helping to create opportunities for underrepresented groups in the industries we operate in, and we were delighted by the success of the event.
“We hope we inspired the students from Holly Lodge Girls’ College and Broughton Hall High School, and made them think about ways they can get into tech.”
Lauren Forbes, head of partnerships at InnovateHer, commented: “Very has gone above and beyond in their commitment to us, and this latest event has given 100 students an amazing opportunity not only to see the team in action, but to hear from experts showcasing their different and unique paths into the workplace.
“Very’s commitment to supporting both Holly Lodge Girl’s College and Broughton Hall High School in Liverpool has allowed students to access our unique courses and insightful content, offering them the chance to explore career paths and to better their futures. They’re helping us inspire the next generation and get more girls into this amazing industry.”
Contact information
Media relations
Dave Lafferty (The Very Group)
dave.lafferty@theverygroup.com
07552 283 266
Notes to editors
About The Very Group
With annual revenue of £2.15bn, The Very Group is a unique digital business that combines online retail and flexible payments. Our digital retail brands, Very and Littlewoods, help to bring over 2,000 desirable labels within easy reach of more customers.
Across electrical, home, fashion and more, we sell everything our 4.4 million customers could need, except food. And our flexible payment options, which are provided responsibly via our Very Pay platform and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, help our customers manage their household budgets.
We have over a hundred years of history behind us, but at our heart there is a passion for change – to constantly improve what we do, to innovate with data and technology at our core and to be the best possible place to work.
For more information, visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
