IWD: ACS events promote gender equality in ICT

Gender equality in tech is in the spotlight this week as the Australian Computer Society (ACS) gears up for International Women’s Day on 8 March.

The organisation is hosting a series of events across the country to help women thrive in ICT and explore why they are still under-represented in the industry.

As of 2018, only 29% of the ICT workforce consisted of women and by September 2019, women only made up 29.5% of ASX 200 boards.

As a result, the ACS NSW is hosting a breakfast panel at its Barangaroo office tomorrow, exploring what this decade has in store for women in ICT and how equality can help women continue to grow in the industry.

ACS Director of Scaleups and Innovation Labs Siobhan Casey; Matchboard Managing Director Sharon Melamed; lawyer and company director Claire Plater; and transformation specialist Estelle Marianne will discuss which educational sectors create more ICT pathways for women and the need for equal paternity leave, and share their stories with the audience.

Meanwhile, Lifeline Canberra CEO Carrie-Ann Lesson; Australian Financial Security Authority Deputy Chief Executive Gavin McCosker; Synergy Group Australia CEO Galia Cornish; and Altina Drinks Social Entrepreneur Alan Tse gathered at ACS Canberra’s Diversity and Inclusion breakfast yesterday to promote “Mental Health & Wellbeing beyond the workplace”.

ACS will host its final International Women’s Day event with River City Labs at The Precinct in Fortitude Valley on 9 March.

The evening will cover a range of topics including the gender gap in ICT, emerging roles and pathways available for women interested in pursuing a career or reskilling in the industry, ACS said.

It’s open to members of the public, students, parents, educators and industry members.

Details on the available functions can be found via ACS’s events page.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Framestock