Viatel Technology Group (Viatel) was honoured to welcome women (and a few men!) from across the Mid-West to 'The Women in the Room: Inclusive Workplaces in 2024', an International Women’s Day event hosted in the group’s Limerick offices on Tuesday 5 March.
Head of Group Product Strategy at Viatel, Lauren Kehoe, extended a warm welcome, outlining Viatel’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the workplace, the group’s membership of CWiT (Connecting Women in Technology and the work that group does to attract and retain more women in technology sector.
The morning commenced with an inspiring keynote address delivered by Tammy Darcy, the Founder and CEO of The Shona Project, a distinguished social enterprise dedicated to empowering Irish girls through education and inspiration. Tammy shared her personal journey, motivations behind founding The Shona Project, and the challenges faced by young girls. With insights drawn from her extensive work in nearly 500 schools, Tammy urged those in STEM fields to mentor and support the next generation, emphasising an ethical responsibility to use their personal and professional influence.
An insightful panel discussion followed, led by Tammy herself, alongside panellists from University of Limerick and Viatel Technology Group. The conversation was rich with personal anecdotes, experiences, and takeaways from the individuals’ diverse journeys to their respective roles in tech, business and academia.
Dr. Lubna Luxmi Dhirani, Assistant Professor at the University of Limerick and a Course Director for the BSc Cybersecurity Practitioner Apprenticeship programme challenged the audience’s unconscious biases and stressed that when inspiring young women to a STEM path, the sheer range of roles needs to be clear. "If we don't know how many roles there are, we don't know how many opportunities there are."
Closing remarks were given by Jeanette Naughton, Chief People Officer at Viatel Technology Group, who thanked Tammy, Lubna, fellow panellists Raevynna El Messaoudi and Mary Kenny, as well as the audience for their authentic participation. Describing the event as inspiring, motivating and enjoyable, it set a high bar for the rest of International Women’s Week!