At our recent Inspiring Women in Tech webinar, Emma Grant, Head of Programmes at Manchester Digital, offered a powerful alternative: the cargo net. Unlike a ladder – narrow, rigid, and competitive – a cargo net allows for movement in all directions. You can go up, across, diagonally, and most importantly, you can pull others up with you.
This metaphor perfectly captures the ethos behind the Digital Her initiative and the suite of programmes Emma and her team have built to support women and girls in tech.
Why the ladder doesn’t work
Traditional career ladders imply a single path to success. But for many women, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, this model doesn’t reflect reality. Career journeys are rarely linear. They involve pivots, pauses, and personal growth that don’t always fit neatly into a rung-by-rung structure.
Emma’s own story is a testament to this. From a background with limited social capital, she found her way into tech through politics, economic development, and a passion for solving real-world problems. Her journey wasn’t a ladder – it was a cargo net.
Building the cargo net: programmes that support real progress
Manchester Digital’s initiatives are designed to reflect this more flexible, inclusive model of career development.
Mentor Her: A mentorship programme for early-career women in tech, helping them build confidence, networks, and clarity on their own version of success.
Enable Her: A leadership development programme that encourages women to define leadership on their own terms, not just replicate existing models.
Empower Her: Focused on public speaking and professional confidence, this programme helps women find their voice and share their stories.
These programmes don’t just help women “get in” to tech, they help them get on and stay in, with the support of a growing community of over 400 real role models.
Culture shift: preparing teams for diversity
Emma also emphasised that it’s not just about preparing women for the tech industry, it’s about preparing the industry for women. That means shifting from “culture fit” to “culture add,” and ensuring that teams are ready to embrace difference, not just tolerate it.
Retention, she noted, is just as important as recruitment. “We’ve spent so long perfecting the shop window,” she said, “but we need to make sure the shop floor matches.”
The cargo net metaphor reminds us that success in tech doesn’t have to look the same for everyone. It’s about creating space for different journeys, different voices, and different definitions of leadership.
And when we build that kind of structure – flexible, supportive, and interconnected. We don’t just help women thrive, we build a stronger, more inclusive industry for everyone.
Watch the full webinar here.
Get in touch
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| Sophie Burton-Jones Partner T: +441223222497 M: +447760626595 E: sophie.burton-jones@mills-reeve.com |
