Challenging Young Minds

Rena ChenoyProgram ManagerWomen in Technology (K-12) OfficeIBM Canada Ltd.

The IBM Story

09/15/04

York University, Women in Computer Science and Engineering

Issues and ChallengesDemand for engineers is expected to increase by more than 36 percent by 2008

57% of Canadian university students are women but only 21% of students studying engineering and applied sciences are female. That compares to 20 years ago when the number was 40%.

ƒ Downward Sliding Scale (anecdotal): ƒ Females entering kindergarten - 52 %ƒ Females taking math/science subjects in high school - 33%ƒ Females entering university in the CS / CE Stream - 20 %ƒ Females graduating with a CS / CE degeree - 15% ƒ Females completing post grad in CS / CE - 10%

Fastest Growing Occupations 2000-2010

• Computer Software Engineers - applications• Computer Support Specialists• Computer Software Engineers – system software• Network and Computer Systems administrators• Network Systems and Data Communication Analysts• Desktop Publishers• Database Administrators• Personal and Home Care Aids• Computer Systems Analysts• Medical Assistants

Bureau of labor statistics

Factors Affecting Decrease of Women in IT

ƒ "Technology is a guy thing"

ƒ Lack of encouragement

ƒ Antisocial "geek" image

ƒ Lack of confidence

ƒ Lack of role models

ƒ Desire to do something meaningful

How we Began......

The first WIT (K-12 ) Conference

ƒ November 1998, in Toronto

ƒ Target Audience: 600 grade 7 and 8 female students, (60 teachers, 90 IBM facilitators)

ƒ Agenda:

ƒ Panel discussions - a) young IBM women 2) students

ƒ Hands on exercises on the ThinkPad

ƒ Question and Answer sessions

ƒ Tremendous feedback from educators, students, IBM women and press

Formation of Chapters

ƒ Started in Toronto in 1998

ƒ Creation of a Turnkey Packageƒ Concept of Chapter / Chapter leaders

ƒ Currently 96 Global Chapters

ƒ Canada - 24 Chapters ƒ US - 40 Chaptersƒ Latin America - 8 Chapters ƒ EMEA - 15 Chaptersƒ AP - 11 Chapters

ƒ Strategy

ƒ Open 100 Chapters globallyƒ Use Chapters to disseminate WIT (Schools/K-12) information

Filling the Pipeline with Future Technical Women…

EXITE CAMPS(mentor

programs)

Brownie Visits

WIT IT Workshops

Scitechmatics Web Site

University Chapters

Distance Learning

..demand for conducting workshops exceeding the

supply of facilitators available

Increasing our Facilitator Database

ƒPartnering with Universities:

ƒ Common goals

ƒStrength in Numbers

ƒRole Models

ƒWin/Win

IT Workshops - A formula that works!

ƒ 3 hours long

ƒ Agenda

ƒ Ice Breaking Activity (team trivia)

ƒ Table discussionsƒ .......tech quizƒ ......importance of math and scienceƒ ......careers in technology

ƒ Prepare presentation on a web page on Netscape

ƒ Each group presents to peers

What beverage is also the name of a computer programming language?

c. Jones

b. Jolt

d. Julius

a. Javaa. Java

© 2002 IBM Corporation

TT

Favorite Activities

24,500IBM Canada's WIT (K-12) Programs have reached female students from 1998 to June 2004

2003-200424 Chapters

390 Facilitators6,000 students

University of TorontoSponsor - Faith Fich

University of WaterlooSponsors - Susan Tighe, Beth Weckman

Ryerson UniversitySponsors - Wendy Cukier, Denise Voit

University of Western OntarioSponsor – Hannan Lutfiyya

University of British ColumbiaSponsor – Anne Condon

York University / Seneca College Sponsors - Gillian Wu, Laurel Schollen

Fanshawe CollegeSponsor, Kathleen Dindoff