The proportion of women working across all science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) qualified industries in Australia has continually increased for the last five years but Australia needs more collective action to achieve gender equity in STEM by 2030.
In an effort to inspire more young women to participate in STEM and ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Greek Australia leaders call their peers from across the country, aged 18-25, to join the free Tech4Girls Digital Skills Workshop set to be held in virtually on Saturday November 6.
“As a country we urgently need a gender approach to ITC education and to be thinking about ways to engage more young women with tech,” Founding Director and Chair of Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network (CBWN), Freda Miriklis told The Greek Herald.
“The workshop is backed by heavyweights – the UN EQUALS Global Partnership for Digital Gender Equality and is supported by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Commonwealth Businesswomen Network (CBWN). The gender approach we have taken to this training makes it fun, engaging, and a creative way to explore some of the technologies and tech skills that e-commerce requires.”
The program in Australia will be delivered by Verizon and participants will receive a certificate of completion.
“COVID has led a surge in e-commerce, and we are seeing the necessity of digital transformation for business. Attendees will learn how a physical store can be transposed to an online store and have the opportunity to design and create their own online stores using Shopify while exploring and applying a variety of technologies and tech skills in the process,” Ms Miriklis said.
“They will then be supported and on-boarded onto the Commonwealth e-market launched by CBWN this year, the first such initiative in the Commonwealth’s history – which is being led not by male-led large corporates but by women entrepreneurs. We want to see more young women make the shift from being just consumers of information to becoming digital creators.”
Participants need to have basic digital skills, access to a laptop and Internet connection and a basic command of the English language.
Director of Policy and Vice President of Business and Professional Women (BPW) Australia , Angela Tomazos, said it’s important for young women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community to participate in this global initiative.
“It is an opportunity to see young women engage in this industry where the data shows we don’t see enough, particularly in our multicultural communities. This program’s intent is to equip young women with a skill set which will encourage them to pursue further training.”
“There could be apps they could create to help them and our community. Our young girls bring diversified interest which can help them grow and develop into future leaders in ICT,” Ms Tomazos said.
For information, details and expressions of interest message the BWP Australia via their FB page or email president@bpw.com.au
