The content on this page and other DCITA document archive pages is provided to assist research and may contain references to activities or policies that have no current application. See the full archive disclaimer.
partICipaTion summit
Print this pageDetails of the September 2005 meeting of industry leaders, academics, policy makers and educators held to consider the participation of women in the ICT sector.
The partICipaTion Summit was held in Sydney on the 22 September 2005. The Summit provided an opportunity for over 70 prominent industry leaders, academics, policy makers and educators to come together and consider the important issue of female participation in Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
Australian women are currently under-represented in ICT education and employment, comprising less than 25 per cent of students and 20 per cent of employees respectively. These numbers are having an impact on ICT faculties around Australia and on the performance of Australian industry. The Summit discussed the barriers to attracting and retaining women in the Australian ICT sector and sort to develop creative solutions to improve participation rates. The outcomes of the Summit will complement and build on other activities that aim to encourage women to follow a career in ICT. Increasing young people’s interest in ICT careers will lead to more university enrolments and ultimately to a more diverse, dynamic and skilled workforce.
In preparing for the Women in ICT Summit, the Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA) consulted with a range of stakeholders including the ICT industry associations, educational institutions and government. Despite the many initiatives currently operating in these areas, the percentage of women in ICT has continued to decrease over the last decade.
The Summit highlighted the need to harness the creativity, talents and perspectives of Australian women, to ensure they are incorporated into the ongoing creation of new technologies and processes. In order to have the best possible ICT workforce, we need to be recruiting from the entire population.
Senator the Hon Helen Coonan
Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
- Document ID: 31998 |
- Last modified: 5 February 2008, 7:24pm