‘Striving for Gender Parity’ panellists urge women to take action!

Today, 140 professionals gathered at Zinc, including Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, The Hon. Philip Dalidakis, to celebrate the success of three inspiring business women, International Women’s Day and highlight the issues of gender diversity and what we can do to increase the participation of women in the ICT profession.

The ‘Striving for Gender Parity’ event was held in Victoria following the release of ACS’s The Promise of Diversity – Gender Equality in the ICT Profession report in December 2015. The Report finds that, at a time when Australia is facing a serious shortage of skilled ICT professionals, women represent only 28 per cent of the ICT workforce compared to 43 per cent in the wider professional workforce. This underutilisation of human capital in ICT looms as a major constraint on Australia’s national growth.

ACS Victoria argues there needs to be a fundamental and urgent change to the cultural mindset and attitudes to women in the workforce. This requires genuine, committed, outcome-focused leadership.

The breakfast encouraged not just women but men as well, to help address the gender disparity.

“This morning's breakfast went very well - in particular, the panel format produced an intelligent, relevant, flexible discussion and was so much better than the usual after-dinner speakers doing their standard corporate-circuit speeches. I did walk away inspired, I did take notes and I am planning to take action!” – Elizabeth Bromham, MACS (Snr)

Maria Markman, Chair of the ACS Women in Victoria Committee, said “We have a real problem in the ICT sector with equality. We need to encourage passionate, successful ICT female role models to be ambassadors for our profession and to inspire our next generation of ICT female professionals. Time for action is now”.

Panellists Cyan Ta'eed, Martine Harte & Jacinta Carboon	Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, The Hon. Philip Dalidakis