Cisco encourages gender inclusion through Girls Power Tech initiative

In a global effort to raise awareness around the necessity for girls to consider a career in ICT, today Cisco are once again supporting Girls in ICT Day through their Girls Power Tech initiative.

Cisco will be contributing to this all important initiative by hosting young girls from 50 countries in 90 locations and providing them with career advice, personal career anecdotes and demos in Cisco technology. The ultimate aim will be to encourage the girls, 20 of which will be hosted at the South African office, to go on to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects in higher education, before joining existing female ICT luminaries.

Girls in ICT Day is an annual day of activities backed by the International Telecommunications Union aimed at creating an environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider careers in the growing field of ICT. According to Haley Williams, CSR Program Manager at Cisco Systems South Africa, “Globally women comprise a mere 27% of computer science, engineering and physics fields and remain an untapped resource. There is also the  remaining stigma  that ICTs is a field suitable for males. The 21st Century workforce needs a new set of skills.  For nearly two-decades, Cisco has made it a top priority to build a diverse talent pipeline prepared to meet these challenges.” In addition, earlier this month it was reported that the lack of female representation in the South African ICT industry is a growing concern to the South African Commission for Gender Equality.

In order to expose young women to the tech opportunities available, this year’s Cisco initiative will involve a combination of office visits, tours, presentations and mentoring. The girls will be given the opportunity to connect with the other girls across the globe through Cisco’s Telepresence collaboration solutions and female Cisco employees will share their personal experiences in the ICT field. Girls were selected from a number of high schools and Cisco’s existing Networking Academies, an ICT skills and career building program for learning institutions and individuals worldwide.

Cisco has an enduring commitment to encouraging students of all backgrounds to build careers in ICT.  In 2014, Cisco employees spent 24,600 hours mentoring young men and women about the value of careers in technology. “Cisco’s participation demonstrates that women are powerful catalysts for change in society, and that technology is an enabler to help accomplish extraordinary things. A diverse workforce has never been more important to stay competitive in today’s digital world and, more importantly, in the future,” concludes Williams.

Staff Writer