Scotland women in tech backs AI leadership training

Scotland Women in Technology has partnered with The Data Lab to fund two cohorts of a data and AI leadership programme for women in Scotland, supporting 40 early- to mid-career participants over two years.

The partnership is built around The Data Lab's Data and AI Leadership Programme, with Scotland Women in Technology funding places for participants from across the Scottish technology ecosystem. The initiative is part of a wider multi-year effort to create more opportunities for women working in data and AI roles across the country.

Delivery model

The programme will combine virtual and in-person sessions. The first phase will be delivered online, with the second taking place in person.

It includes 10 hours of facilitated learning on how organisations use data and AI. Topics include readiness assessments, identifying AI opportunities, aligning strategy with organisational goals, and responsible data leadership.

Participants will also learn how to develop and implement data and AI strategies, including assessing current practice and designing a roadmap for adoption. The two cohorts are scheduled for 2026 and 2027.

Participation scope

The move comes as gender representation in technology remains uneven. According to figures cited by the organisations, women make up 21% of the UK technology sector.

Scotland Women in Technology, founded in 2008, describes itself as a not-for-profit group focused on gender equality in the Scottish technology sector. The Data Lab is Scotland's innovation centre for data and AI, hosted by the University of Edinburgh and backed through the National Innovation Centres Programme funded by the Scottish Funding Council.

Broader support

Alongside the training investment, Scotland Women in Technology will also fund more than 30 places for women to attend DataFest over the next two years. This expands the partnership beyond formal leadership training to broader access to Scotland's data and AI community.

Applicants for the leadership course or the funded DataFest places can come from the technology sector or from technology-related roles in other industries. The programme is aimed at women in the early to mid stages of their careers, rather than senior executives alone.

Industry context

Silka Patel set the partnership in the context of rapid growth in AI and wider concerns about the retention of women in the sector.

"With the rise in AI, it is vital that opportunities are created to ensure everyone has a seat at the table when it comes to making AI decisions. It can be easy to overlook female tech talent, and as we saw from the latest Lovelace Report, there has been an exodus of women from the sector as a result. With a firm commitment to the Scottish tech ecosystem, we want to make sure that this stops by upskilling women in AI and ensuring these skills are not overlooked in the AI era. This partnership will unite The Data Lab's technical pedigree with a strategic gender lens, ensuring AI leadership in Scotland is as diverse as it is innovative," said Silka Patel, Founder and Chair, Scotland Women in Technology.

Leadership focus

The Data Lab said the agreement is intended to help women strengthen leadership skills in an area becoming more central to business decision-making. It also linked the programme to the wider debate around fairness and representation in AI systems.

"We're excited to work with Scotland Women in Technology to encourage and support more women to develop data and AI leadership skills that drive organisational transformation, value creation, and data-driven decision making within a culture of innovation. With women representing only 21% of the UK's tech sector, it is critical they have access to opportunities to advance their data and AI careers, and that businesses of all sizes can tap into the diverse talent they need to thrive. This also plays an important role in strengthening the wider AI ecosystem and addressing many societal challenges, including AI bias at source. We welcome SWiT's investment in tackling the talent gap and promoting equality in tech and are delighted to partner with them to deliver this programme over the coming year," said Heather Thomson, Chief Executive Officer, The Data Lab.