Eurotux and Dipcode sponsor technological event for young girls
Geek Girls Portugal, the first Portuguese community gathering women who are active in the field of technology and the digital world, will organize an event for young female students, on May 5th, in Porto, Portugal. This initiative is sponsored by Eurotux and Dipcode.
The event “Technology: your future?”, is scheduled for Saturday, May 5th, with the goal of fostering the interest of young women in the world of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), a field with a high rate of employment. Aimed exclusively for female students, between the ages of 13 and 17, the initiative will be held at the University of Porto’s Media Innovation Labs facilities.
The young participants will have access to presentations regarding professions in the field of ICT, as well as the testimony of female professionals working in this sector. They will also be able to express and clarify their doubts, and participate in workshops where they can create a website or code a mobile application. During the event, a Science4You drone, and a Robotics Academy course, will be given away by lottery. The ultimate goal is that the young women obtain more information from this experience, to “make enlightened and informed decisions for their professional future”, as highlighted by the event’s organizers.
Eurotux has already hosted several initiatives promoted by Geek Girls Portugal, supporting its mission, with the goal of driving the presence of women in ICT companies. Dipcode also joins this initiative. Currently, the Eurotux Group includes the presence of a strong group of women, resulting from a labour policy based on equality of opportunity.
The Secretary of State for Citizenship and Equality, also supported the event “Technology: your future?”, at a time when there is “a long way yet to go in terms of mobilizing girls for a career in the ICT sector”, as stated by the founder of Geek Girls Portugal, Vânia Gonçalves. “Despite being strong users of technology, girls opt for careers in other areas, influenced by stereotypes and by the sector’s low representation of women”, she said. In 2015, only 956 women obtained a diploma in ICT, corresponding to a percentage of 18.5%, according to the Pordata statistics database.
The participation on the event is free, but registration is required, given the limited number of seats. The young students can view all the information related to the event, here.
The parents or legal guardians of the participants can attend the first part of the initiative, so that they can also be better informed about the alternatives their daughters have in the field of ICT. You can find more information on the event, here.
