HUNDREDS of women visited Steam Museum yesterday to hear inspiring stories about finding a career in technology.

Key speakers took the stage at the event by Nationwide aimed at giving women an insight into careers in STEM (Science, technology, engineering and maths) in honor of Ada Lovelace day, which celebrates the woman regarded as the first computer programmer.

Among the speakers was Dr Sue Black OBE, a computer scientist and researcher, author, and social entrepreneur who began her career in tech after living in a women's refuge with three children.

Dr Black told the Adver: "There’s been a lack of female role models, not that they weren’t there, it’s just nobody knew about them.

“We can’t still easily talk about women working in technology and STEM who have done amazing things, because they haven’t been championed enough.

"Back in the fifties most of the programmers were actually women."

Sue set up set up BCS Women, the first network connecting women in IT, and now runs the social enterprise Tech Mums to teach new mums technology skills.

"When I set up BCS women 20 year’s ago it was about 20 per cent then so they haven’t changed much. But the whole atmosphere around women in tech area has changed dramatically. I set up the first online group but now there’s hundreds of groups."

There were also workshops for women looking to return to work after children or wanting to switch careers into tech.

Rachel Robinson, head of digital strategy and production development for digital at Nationwide, said: “We’ve had 200 women here joining us here about careers in digital data.

“When people share their stories, it can be really empowering and emotional. I know first-hand having been on maternity leave the challenges women face returning to work.

“One of the great things about roles in technology is that quite often they’re roles that can suit flexible working really well.

"Lots of the people in my team work flexible hours and they can do that because of the type of digital role.

Nationwide recently announced it is investing a total £4.1 billion in digital technology over the next five years.

"We want to make sure we've got as many women working in technology as possible and that's what today as all about," she said. "There's definitely some win-win from women moving into these tech roles."