Ada Lovelace day 2025

Today, Martha Burnige, Chair of Trustees for Aurora and Cassey Gaywood, Deputy Headteacher from The Gatwick School proudly attended the Ada Lovelace Day Breakfast Reception at the House of Commons, joining national leaders in celebrating women in STEM and addressing the gender gap in the manufacturing sector.

Hosted by Lloyds Banking Group in partnership with the Manufacturing Technology Centre, the event brought together Members of Parliament, educators, industry leaders, and organisations such as Primary Engineer, Enginuity, Stemazing, and Make UK. The reception was kindly sponsored by Jodie Gosling, MP for Nuneaton, and held in the iconic Terrace Pavilion.

🔧 Tackling the Skills Gap: The ‘35 by 35’ Initiative

With women currently making up just 26.1% of the UK manufacturing workforce, the event spotlighted the ‘35 by 35’ initiative—a key pillar of the Government’s Industrial Strategy aiming to increase female representation to 35% by 2035. According to Make UK, closing this gap could unlock an additional £6 billion for the UK economy.

🏫 The Gatwick School’s Commitment

Located in the heart of Manor Royal, Crawley’s business district, The Gatwick School is uniquely positioned to connect students with real-world career pathways. During the reception, school representatives highlighted the importance of local business partnerships in inspiring the next generation of engineers, technicians, and innovators.

“We’re proud to be part of this national conversation,” said Martha Burnige, who attended the event. “At The Gatwick School, we’re committed to ensuring our students—especially young women—see a future for themselves in manufacturing and STEM.”

🤝 Collaboration for Change

The event underscored that meaningful progress requires collaboration at the local level. By bringing together schools, colleges, universities, and training providers with industry leaders, the reception forged meaningful connections between The Gatwick School and key stakeholders.