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Bursary boost for female tech students

Women interested in studying computer science have been able to apply for a bursary worth £12,000 – the first of its kind ever offered at Nottingham Trent University.

Computer
(Philipp Katzenberger)

The bursary was set up by leading B2B technology solutions provider Jigsaw24 to create a new opportunity for a female student from a lower-income household.

The company hopes to counter gender imbalances in the IT industry, with recent research highlighting that while 49% of UK workers are female, only 19% of those in technology are women.

Running from September 2021, the new scholarship covers Nottingham Trent University’s BSc Computer Science FT/SW, BSc Computer Science (Games Technology) FT/SW, and BSc Software Engineering FT/SW undergraduate courses.

The cash bursary provides £3,000 per year over four years of study (including a placement year) and will be funded entirely by Jigsaw24.

Roger Whittle, CEO at Nottingham-based Jigsaw24, said: “Women play valuable roles in our company and in technology more widely, yet representation remains low, especially in technical, sales and leadership positions.

“The IT industry is for everyone, and people of all backgrounds should have the chance to break into it.

“We know that sponsoring a single student is not going to solve the inequalities in our industry, but introducing this unique bursary is a positive step in the right direction.”

Kayleigh Glasper, Head of Philanthropy at Nottingham Trent University, said: “We are delighted to have created this bursary with Jigsaw24, to support a talented female undergraduate studying in the field of computer science. This provides an exciting opportunity and we are very grateful to Jigsaw24 for their generosity.”

To be considered for the Jigsaw24 Bursary in Computer Science, those interested needed to be female, a UK applicant for fee-paying purposes, have a household income of less than £25,000 per annum, and have been offered a place to enrol on a relevant Nottingham Trent University course in September 2021.

The investment by Jigsaw24 reflects its unique approach to corporate and social responsibility, by concentrating its investments and empowering employees to carve the firm’s own way and help make a bigger difference.

  • Notes for editors

    Press enquiries please contact Dave Rogers, Public Relations Manager, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8782, or via email.

    Jigsaw24 is a leading B2B IT solutions provider. With specialists across all industries, we help businesses, creatives, educational institutions and public sector organisations to improve their performance through better sustainable technology and expert services, support and sales. We are an Apple Authorised Enterprise Reseller and an Apple Authorised Education Specialist. We are also an Apple Premium Service Provider, a Microsoft Gold Cloud Productivity Competency Partner, an Avid Elite Partner and hold top accreditations from leading manufacturers including Adobe, HP, Blackmagic Design and more. We are committed to using technology to help our customers solve real-world problems and reduce their impact on the planet, delivering projects in an environmentally responsible way. We were founded in 1992 in Nottingham, ideally located to provide full nationwide coverage.

    Recent research highlighted that while 49% of UK workers are female, only 19% of those in technology are women – source: https://technation.io/insights/diversity-and-inclusion-in-uk-tech-companies/

    For more information about Jigsaw24 or to view the company’s current vacancies, visit Jigsaw24 website or careers page.

Published on 7 July 2021
  • Subject area: Computing, engineering, maths and other technologies
  • Category: Press office; School of Science and Technology