There is a talent gap in tech. A huge one. One of the easiest ways to fill it is by growing the workforce early, encouraging young people – girls and boys – to pursue careers in STEM.

At Inspirefest 2016, we sat down with Ellyn Shook, Accenture’s chief leadership and human resources officer, and asked her advice on building a diverse, happy workforce from the ground up.

Shook spoke about the importance of digital fluency and the importance of encouraging its development in young women, citing Girls Who Code and Stemettes as ideal avenues for opening access to tech.

Furthermore, Shook spoke about why diversity is important within the tech sector. With that in mind, she gave us some advice on how companies can make their workforces more diverse, and on how those interested in a career in tech can get into the industry.

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Words by Kirsty Tobin