Women who are heroes of NetAcad

On International Women's day - it is essential to understand that we are celebrating all those women who are helping make a difference. For me, my work at the Open University Cisco Academy Support Centre and all that we do in our outreach, teaching and engagement - I am privileged to be able to access a top team of technically minded Women. Who are computer scientists, cybersecurity experts, teachers of coding, focussed on digital engagement, enablement and much more.

In fact - we would not have been as successful without any of them.

Taking it from top left to bottom right ...

May I introduce Nicole Donnelly [top left] who has helped lead UCEN Manchester Cisco ASC, is now in South West College and is already tilting engagement in Northern Ireland. She has worked on several projects, apart from being an OU tutor (on our Cisco and Cyber modules), she has been a leading light in our CyberCamps project.

Many may know Amel Bennaceur , [next right, still on top row] currently director of research for the School of Computing & Communications at the The Open University and has been instrumental in ensuring that Cisco Networking Academy content was used to tilt female participation at stage one of our degree programmes in a positive direction. As well as work on the development & delivery of several other Cisco and MicroCredential based modules at the Open University.

Elizabeth Barr has not yet been working for Cisco Networking Academy for three years and has been the difference that really makes the difference. Allowing us to work with others, build community and explore a variety of alternate ways of reaching underserved communities. The list is long, as a co-lead in the CyberCamps project - her different perspective has allowed us to reach 1500+ girls and young women in the last two years.

Then we have Bryony Wilson , based in Scotland at Glasgow Clyde College and has been involved in both our CyberCamps and now Click Start based programmes. Leading the support of underserved students across the UK. As well as a WorldSkills expert, judge and generally clever person when it comes to Network Engineering and CyberSecurity.

Now, to the top right, we have Elaine Haigh an outstanding support on our CyberCamps project, she is based at 英国卡地夫大学 and has been in the world of teaching Networking and Cyber for many years. An excellent source of considered experience, someone we are looking forward to having on board as an examiner for the OU.

Shifting bottom left, Suzalee Blair-Gordon is a teacher of the highest order, now an advisor on Click Start she has also been a mentor/facilitator/guide/marker - cool person etc on our Python MicroCredential.

Moving along the bottom row, I first met Carol Muzanenhamo-Jaji in a cafe in London, as she was planning her transition from NetAcad in South Africa to the UK. She has already made a considerable difference and we are pleased to have her as one of our experts on the Click Start programme.

Of course, we must mention Jane Dickinson - digital skills lead and partner in crime for so many digital skills based projects over the previous five+ years at the Open University. We have served 1000's of souls remotely, giving them the change to reskill, upskill and engage with the digital technologies sector - always using NetAcad amongst other resources.

Next to Jane is Rebecca Harrop a cybersecurity expert at the University of Bedfordshire and a tutor on our Cisco modules at the Open University. Rebecca has been a power house behind our CyberOps MicroCredential helping us create alternate content - which came into its own during the pandemic. Having worked on the CyberCamps project - like Nichole, Rebecca also leads another Cisco ASC.

Finally, we reach the bottom right, we have started to get to know Sharon McBride (Chambers) in the last eighteen months via our validation partnerships in Northern Ireland at North West Regional College (NWRC) . Currently supporting students on the Click Start project, her wealth of technical experience is beyond doubt.

They are all the difference that makes a big difference to what we want to accomplish - in a world where we are still overwhelmed by a male perspective within tech! It is important to remember that women are 51% of the global population and our ever struggling tech workforce would do well to benefit from their experience.