We’re celebrating Girls in Information and Communications Technology (ICT)!
28 April marks International Girls in ICT Day. Established by ITU and celebrated in over 150 countries around the world, this day celebrates and encourages girls and young women to pursue studies and careers in the technology sector through training in coding, development of mobile applications and IT.
This year’s theme is access and safety, bringing attention to the need to access the internet and other digital tools in an effective and safe manner. With this goal in mind, Girls in ICT aims to empower ladies and girls by giving them the opportunity to both enter and grow in the ever-expanding ICT field.
The Need to Create Access
According to UN Women, “The jobs of the future will be driven by technology and innovation— 65% of children entering primary school today will have jobs that do not yet exist.”
These predictions bring an issue to light that is often overlooked but one that the woman in ICT initiative is seeking to solve. Without reliable access to the needed technology and training, many young women are already at a disadvantage in their pursuit to enter the growing career field in SA.
In South Africa, the communications and information technology sector is one of the fastest-growing industries, with a vast range of job opportunities springing up on the daily.
It is estimated that 66% of South African residences have access to internet, making a big leap from previous years and we hope to see this trend continue. Although internet access and access to equipment is on an upward trend there are many more issues facing the young woman wishing to enter the ICT field:
- Only 17% of ICT specialists are women.
- Only 34% of STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) graduates are women.
- Women in the ICT sector earn 19% less than men.
We’re very passionate about this drive for future female engineers. If you’re also interested to assist, view the local initiative, GirlCode to help them achieve their goal of empowering 10 million girls with tech skills by 2030.
Acting as a sponsor for upcoming events may inspire other leaders in the ICT field to help support this life changing initiative.
Want to be part of this day and community? Join or promote the event on April 28, Girls in ICT Global Dialogue on Access and Safety or follow the conversation on social with #GirlsInICT. Also keep a look out for initiatives Blue Bean Software are planning by following our social pages, Instagram and LinkedIn.
