Digital Skills for Life!
Yesterday marked the annual Girls in I.C.T. Day, a global initiative to encourage young girls and women to consider careers in information and communication technology (I.C.T.). Celebrated on the fourth Thursday in April every year, this year’s Girls in ICT Day comes at a time when the tech industry is still struggling with gender diversity. Organizations worldwide are hosting events and workshops to celebrate the day, providing mentorship, career advice, and technology education to girls and women interested in pursuing careers in tech. In Belize, “A Day of Coding” was held. News Five’s Hipolito Novelo reports.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
Every year on the fourth Thursday of April, International Girls in ICT Day is celebrated.
Dian Maheia
Dian Maheia, C.E.O., Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology
“And it may be the first time that you are ever really hearing about this, but I can promise you it won’t be the last.”
And that’s because the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology is encouraging girls to be interested in information and communications technology. Girls in ICT Day highlights the importance of gender diversity in the tech industry and encourages girls to pursue education and career opportunities in the field.
Dian Maheia
“Our girls are becoming better educated. More and more, girls are becoming more educated than boys. But it is interesting to note, that even though they are more educated, the girls, and the women are still more likely to be unemployed today in this country.”
This underscores this year’s theme, Digital Skills for Life. The tech industry is facing a significant gender gap, with women significantly underrepresented in technical roles. To combat this disparity, organizations around the world are taking action to promote the importance of gender diversity in tech.
Dian Maheia
“This government has been putting special focus on programs that will support women in employment, especially helping them with their own small business.”
With organizations globally working to promote gender diversity in the industry and more and more girls gaining access to technology education, the future of tech looks more inclusive and diverse than ever before. Organizations are also offering coding and robotics classes specifically targeted at girls, helping to spark interest in STEM fields from a young age.
Suzette Tillett
Suzette Tillett, Director of Operations and Communications, PUC
“Collaboration between the public and private sector is important in order to focus on connectivity and inclusion, which will lead to the transformation into the digital future. The PUC aims to assist in activities like this one, A Day of Coding, that will empower the young girls of Belize to develop digital skills and pursue careers enabled by technology.”
Namrita Balani
Namrita Balani, Director of Science and Technology, MoECST
“As we gather here today, let us remember the importance of gender diversity in technology. It is essential that we empower women to participate fully in the digital world and contribute to the development of society.”
Dian Maheia
“As we join with people across the world to encourage and celebrate girls in ICT, we want you to think about what like a girl means.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.
