Girls in IT Day

Girls in IT Day report highlights need for more STEM role models

Life
Pictured: Namwan Conroy (12); Laura Morris (12); Jessica Dayman (11); and Ruby Cunningham (12) from Guardian Angels NS in Blackrock, Co Dublin

26 April 2018

A study by Microsoft has found that three out of five girls in Ireland with strong role models in their lives can imagine a future career in STEM. However, only around 42% of Irish young women with a STEM role model actually work in STEM subjects, showing an ‘opportunity gap’ to convert the passion in the classroom into a career. Furthermore, 46% of girls surveyed reported an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics when inspired by a female peer, in comparison to 38% of girls who don’t.

These findings were released to mark Girls In IT Day held at One Microsoft Place today.

Students from St Thomas’s SNS in Tallaght, Sacred Heart NS in Clondalkin and Guardian Angels NS in Blackrock had the opportunity to meet with young successful women who have blazing a trail by harnessing the power of creativity and technology.

With the research findings in mind Microsoft invited some guest speakers to deliver five-minute talks to students about their pathway to success.

Teenager Kate Madden showcased how the company she co-founded, FenuHealth, became global success and Sara Ryan, the 24-year-old COO of Junk Kouture outlined how she harnessed technology to bring Irish creative design to everyone’s attention.

Students also heard from young Microsoft graduate employee Paula Kiernan and Bernadette Thalhammer and Barbara de Kegel from gaming middleware developer Havok.

Cathriona Hallahan, managing director, Microsoft Ireland, said: “Every young person deserves the opportunity to participate in our digital world and develop a passion for technology. However, we face a significant challenge in encouraging more girls to become interested in technology-related careers. Despite girls becoming interested in technology around the age of 11, girls start to lose interest in STEM subjects around the age of 15.

“Today’s research points towards the importance of role models in enhancing interest in STEM subjects amongst young girls and closing the gender gap in Ireland’s ICT workforce. We only recently opened DreamSpace and announced our commitment to bringing 100,000 students through the doors over the next four years to give them the latest technology experience and open their minds to the fact that whatever their future holds technology will be at the heart of it.

“With the research in mind we wanted to bring speakers in that the primary school students could relate to. By showcasing some of Ireland’s most inspiring young female leaders from innovative sectors the hope is that they inspire the students to think differently about technology and STEM subjects generally as they make the move from primary to secondary school this coming year.”

TechCentral Reporters

Read More:


Back to Top ↑

TechCentral.ie