Victorian schoolgirls get IT jobs spiel

Oct 27, 2010 12:02 AM
Filed under Training & Development

Government-supported careers showcase opens.

Women from Google, Deloitte, IBM, Oracle and Telstra will address Victorian secondary school girls this week in a bid to attract more females to the IT industry.

Held over two days at Melbourne's Deakin University, the Go Girl Go for IT (GGGIT) conference and expo features a series of presentations and a tradeshow for girls in Years 8 to 11.

It will be opened by Victorian Minister for Women's Affairs Maxine Morand and is expected to attract 1,000 attendees.

Attendees will hear about IT's role in medical research from Monash University, working at an IT start-up from travel site Adioso, and "making the world better" from Federal IT advisor Pia Waugh.

The 2010 event follows one in 2008, which was attended by 2,500 Victorian school girls and their teachers.

According to conference organisers, only 36 percent of students claimed that they had considered IT as a career before the event. Afterwards, 71 percent said they would consider a career in IT.

4 comments in this discussion

"No."

By Ace

Tags

deloitte, google, ibm, oracle, telstra, gggit, wit

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Comments: 4

DJ Oct 27, 2010 8:01 AM	How ironic. The government is trying to attract more talent to the IT industry so it can obtain one of the country's highest rates of tax collection from individuals. The ridiculous Personal Services Income legislation pushed by the tax office prevents people in the IT industry from making an income across customers as it constantly measures income from specific clients, then allows for tax rorts FROM the tax office. Who wants to be constantly under review, threatened by public servants at the tax office, continually investigated and targeted? It's no wonder there is such a shortage of IT talent in Australia which the migrants are servicing before they head home again with a pocket full of revenue. Meanwhile the local talent are forced to accept lower paid roles just to make ends meet. When will this rort end.
realitybites Oct 27, 2010 12:22 PM	I for one welcome our new female IT overlords... err supervisors.. err colleagues. Well you know what I mean ;) But seriously, I applaud this scheme. Nothing at all wrong with women taking up IT as a career. You go girls! @DJ - I sympathize with your plight concerning the ATO, but the association to the article is tenacious at best. No offense intended.
laman Oct 27, 2010 6:36 PM	Targeting female... Is it sexual discrimination?
Ace Oct 27, 2010 10:47 PM	No.