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Game on for women in digital at North East tech company

Bede Gaming has launched an ambitious recruitment drive to fill 35 new positions at its Gosforth headquarters this summer, with a focus on attracting more women into the industry.

Opportunities are available across all levels and for people at any point in their career, from the more experienced to graduates, with roles including software engineers, degree apprentices, a business analyst and an account director.

Aiming to increase its workforce by 28%, encouraging women to consider a career in digital is high on the agenda in response to figures from Tech Nation’s 2018 report, which saw the North East as a region with one of the lowest proportions of female workers in the sector.

Although stats showed that only 15% of tech workers in Northumberland and Tyne and Wear are women, Bede’s North East workforce is made up of 29% women; a 14% increase, as well as 10% up on the figures representing the whole of the UK (19%).


The company champions its culture as well as diversity, and offers flexible working and private healthcare, as well as perks such as personal mobile phones, free celebratory beers and team lunches.

Alex Butcher, managing director at Bede Gaming said: “Culture is key to everything we do at Bede – it’s vital for creating dynamic and inspiring working environments for all of our people, regardless of gender. It’s great to see Newcastle’s tech scene recognised in Tech Nation’s latest report, and Bede has contributed to the city’s growth.

“Clearly job opportunities are there to be taken, and we should all be playing our part in making these as accessible as possible to everyone. Women are represented across all areas of Bede, and helping to shape the company’s future.”

At just 33 years old, Holly Roberts is Bede’s head of delivery and has quickly climbed the ranks during her four years with the business. As well as managing Bede’s portfolio of client work and alignment across the company, she played a key role in creating an agile framework to support the growth plans.

Holly said: “Stats may show a gender imbalance in tech roles here in the North East and beyond, but despite this I have noticed a cultural shift in attitudes to women holding their ground in the sector. We should all be taking responsibility to encourage this further, starting in our own workplaces and filtering through to the next generation of tech professionals studying at schools, colleges and universities.

“This is a given as part of the culture embedded at Bede and there is a real sense of sisterhood amongst our women. We support all of our employees however we can regardless of gender by having an open and flexible working environment, buddy scheme and mentoring approach.”

Two of Bede’s newest recruits say that seeing women represented at all levels of the business, from the senior team to graduates taking their first job, attracted them to apply for their positions. Delivery manager Kate Wilson has always worked in tech-focused roles across various industries from subsea engineering to construction, as has service delivery manager Helen Blake, who was also drawn to Bede’s culture, in particular the open policy to seek advice from other women.

The company employs 165 people across its Gosforth office and office in Sofia, Bulgaria, and supplies software to the online gambling industry all over the world.

Alex concludes: “We are on an exciting journey as a fast-growing business and looking for fresh talent to join us. There are opportunities open to all whatever their experience, as long as they have a real passion for tech and aspirations to flourish with the company. I encourage anyone who is interested to get in touch, and we look forward to hearing from you.”