In an innovative and promising initiative, Fundación Telefónica and Women4Cyber Spain, the Spanish chapter of the European non-profit foundation Women4Cyber (W4C), have signed a collaboration agreement to promote the talent and visibility of women in the technology field, with a special focus on the cybersecurity sector. This agreement strengthens the commitment of both organizations to work together on activities and initiatives that promote education, training, and employability, with a particular emphasis on equal opportunities and a focus on the female population.
The four programming campuses of Fundación Telefónica (42 Madrid, 42 Urduliz, 42 Barcelona, and 42 Málaga) will be the centers of various activities, including workshops, talks, roundtable discussions, workshops, boot camps, hackathons, and open days, with the active participation of experts in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The planned activities will focus on:
- Spreading and improving digital skills, with special attention to encouraging scientific vocations among girls and young people.
- Motivating women to consider cybersecurity as a promising professional career.
Fundación Telefónica and Women4Cyber will work together to promote education at all levels in cybersecurity and technology, with the aim of attracting more female talent and improving digital skills, especially in the development of scientific vocations among young women.
What is Women4Cyber?
Women4Cyber is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the role of women in the field of cybersecurity in Spain, fostering gender diversity in the sector to contribute to the building of a safer and more inclusive digital world. Founded by the European Cybersecurity Organization (ECSO), Women4Cyber Spain stands out as the first and only women’s association in cybersecurity in Spain with European backing.
Promoting Women’s Employability in STEM
Aware of the shortage of women in the scientific and technological field, Fundación Telefónica has implemented several initiatives to promote the presence of women in technology disciplines. One of these initiatives includes reserving 30% of the places in the selection processes for students in the free programming campuses 42, in order to increase the number of women trained in current and future digital professions.
Furthermore, to stimulate female interest in programming and technology, the 42 Madrid, 42 Urduliz, 42 Barcelona, and 42 Málaga campuses offer specific training programs for women, known as Piscine Discovery Web Women’s Edition. In 2023, approximately 2,000 women participated in 16 calls for these programs, exploring development and employment opportunities in technology.
In 2024, Fundación Telefónica continues its push towards diversity and inclusion of female talent in the technology field, a clear example of this is its collaboration with Women4Cyber. This agreement reinforces the joint commitment of both entities to create a more equitable and diverse future in the technology and cybersecurity sector.