One of Ipswich’s leading web agencies is shining a light on the Women in Tech movement, following news that one of its female directors has been nominated for a tech-related award.

Claire Thorpe, a director at SimpleClick on Felixstowe Road, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the User Experience category at this year’s DevelopHER Awards.

The regional award scheme, which launched three years ago, celebrate the achievements of women in East Anglia who are working within the technology sector.

By raising awareness of the wide range of opportunities available within the sector, the awards organisers are hoping to encourage more young women to consider future careers within the technology-industry.

This is a cause that Claire is particularly keen to champion – in addition to her work at SimpleClick, she has recently signed up to become a STEM Ambassador; a role which will see her work with school pupils throughout Ipswich to share details of the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) activities.

She said: “I’m really pleased to have been shortlisted; the competition in the User Experience category is incredibly tough so regardless of the outcome, it’s a real honour to be recognised.”

“This is the first time that we’ve entered these awards, but we’ve followed them since they launched and it’s brilliant to see something which celebrates the work of women in technology.

“ It’s often seen as a male-dominated environment, but there are so many opportunities available for women to start their careers and it’s a lot more creative than you may think. I hope in the future that we can really help girls to establish a strong interest in technology and these awards will play a big part in this.”

Co-director Richard Jennis adds: “This is a huge honour for Claire. She is incredibly passionate about user experience and works hard for all of our clients, so we are thrilled for her. In our eyes, she’s already a winner.”

Claire will discover if she has won her award during a gala night reception which will be held in Norwich on Wednesday November 28.