As it's International Girls in ICT Day, we wanted to highlight some of the reasons why this date is so important to the industry and our organisation. 

What is International Girls in ICT Day?

International Girls in ICT Day is an annual celebration that encourages and inspires young women to explore the vast opportunities available in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). According to Tech Nation, women make up only 26% of the workforce in the tech sector. International Girls in ICT Day seeks to address the gender imbalance by creating different initiatives to educate, train, and mentor girls and young women who are looking to work in the industry.

This Year's Theme: Digital Skills for Life

This year's theme is 'Digital Skills for Life,' which encompasses the idea that learning technical skills will set you up for a successful career. In today's world, ICT plays a significant role in every aspect of our lives. From the way we communicate with each other to the way we work and entertain ourselves; technology has transformed the way we live. International Girls in ICT Day aims to bridge the digital skills gap by promoting digital literacy and providing girls with the necessary skills to succeed in a digital world. 

The Importance of International Girls in ICT Day in Today's Society

In today's society it's unacceptable to judge a person's skills based on their gender, which is why the International Girls in ICT Day is so important. At IJYI, we believe that all genders contribute immensely to the ICT industry. We take great pride in empowering everyone in our team as individuals so that their skills and voices are always appreciated and heard. 

Hear from some of the incredible women at IJYI

We asked Robyne Birkby, Data Engineer at IJYI:

Why do you think it’s important for women to be given a fair chance to work in the ICT industry?

Everyone approaches challenges differently. Speaking generally, men and women tend to bring different strengths to a project and by working together we come up with some pretty awesome solutions.

What do you like about your role?

Giving our clients access to the data they already have, but structuring it in a way which allows them to generate insights and make decisions. One of my favourite meetings to date was when I was showing a report I was currently working on to a set of board members who immediately got really excited about what they were seeing and started making business decisions that they actioned that week. I made that possible. I love seeing our clients' reactions to the work I have done.

What would your advice be to women wanting to start a career in ICT?

Don’t worry if you are not technical. Those are all skills that can be learnt and there is much more to a career in ICT than working with computers. My job enables me to work with lots of different people, on lots of different projects, solving lots of different challenges and whether you are a technical person or not, there is bound to be a role within the ICT industry that would suit your skills and interests.

We asked Gemma Ingham, Project Manager at IJYI:

Why did you decide to work in the ICT industry (and what inspired you)?

My husband worked in the ICT industry, and I found the projects and tech he was working with really interesting. The possibilities seemed endless and that was exciting.

Do you feel like women are represented in the ICT industry? Please specify your reasons.

No, I don’t think woman are represented in the ICT industry. There are some amazing women doing amazing things in the ICT industry but unless you go looking for them, they aren’t widely known. Facebook and IBM are two of the biggest STEM companies with women leading them. Sheryl Sandberg is COO of Facebook and Ginni Rometty is the President and CEO of IBM, but women make up less than 30% of the ICT workforce globally. I think there is a real lack of exposure to STEM fields at a young age and the lack of female role models in the industry means that it may be challenging for women to imagine themselves in those positions.

Do you feel like the women in our company are represented and empowered?

Representation, for me, is more than seeing other females like me in roles in ICT industry, it's about feeling like I truly belong. I feel empowered at IJYI as I can take ownership of my work and contribute meaningful decision-making.

We spoke to Jade Isaac, Marketing Manager at IJYI:

What do you like most about working for IJYI?

I love the culture! Everyone is treated like an individual person, and you feel heard. As a woman working in the ICT sector, it's important that you feel equal, and working for IJYI fits that criteria. I feel like I'm being invested in; the sky's the limit!

A final word from our Founder, Chris Pont

As the founder of IJYI, I am proud to share our unwavering commitment to support International Girls in ICT Day. This day provides us with an opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the important contributions that girls and women bring to the field of ICT.

At our company, we are committed to providing mentorship, training, and career development opportunities to girls and young women interested in pursuing careers in technology. We believe that by creating a supportive and inclusive environment, we can help to inspire the next generation of female leaders in ICT.

How you can get involved: International Girls in ICT Day Activities

1. Attend an event - Organisations like the International Communication Union and Cisco host an International Girls in ICT Day event every year to encourage more girls and young women to learn ICT skills and join the tech industry.
2. Inspire young women to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers - If you're a tech leader, sharing your story, irrespective of your gender, will provide girls and young women with the insights they need to start a career in STEM.
3. Sponsor a girl in ICT - Help a girl or young female out in their career by sponsoring them to do some training or a course which will accelerate their career.

Interested in working for a tech company that's diverse and believes in equality? Introduce yourself to IJYI and find out what's possible for your career.