Empowering girls in the ICT sector

ICT is a rapidly growing field that is becoming increasingly important in our society. With this increase in this profession, it is predicted that in the coming years there will be an enormous increase in jobs in this sector. This presents an opportunity for those interested in pursuing a career in ICT, especially women and girls who are underrepresented in this field.

Women make up only 30% of the ICT workforce globally, and this number is even lower in developing countries. There are several reasons for this, including a lack of exposure to ICT education and careers, cultural stereotypes and a lack of role models in these fields. So by encouraging and empowering girls to pursue careers in ICT, we can help bridge this gender gap and create a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

During the week of April 24-28, 2023, the Kosovo Informatics Society (SHPIK) under the patronage of the Municipality of Pristina visited 5 primary schools in the municipality of Pristina to mark the week of Girls in ICT. The purpose of these visits was to raise awareness and encourage 9th grade girls to start a career in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The schools that were visited were: Dardania, Xhemail Mustafa, Ismail Qemali, Faik Konica and Iliria.

The main focus of the visit was to inform the 9th grade girls about the new directions in the field of ICT that will be added to the Gjin Gazulli Primary School. The new courses are: Mediatician, Application Developer, Business IT Technician, Graphic Design Technician, ICT Systems Technician and Multimedia Content Developer.

All 9th grade students in the Municipality of Pristina will have the opportunity to register in this school. Likewise, students from other municipalities of Kosovo who are interested in orienting their careers in these directions and who do not have this opportunity in their respective municipality, will have the chance to register at SHMP Gjin Gazulli as well as in the future at the new ICT school.

The 9th grade students were also notified about the information session that will be held online on May 2, 2023 from 6:00 p.m., and were invited to notify their parents to attend this session in order to be informed in more detail about new directions in the field of ICT that will be added this year to SHMP Gjin Gazulli. This session will also provide an opportunity for students and parents to ask questions and learn more about the ICT field.

In conclusion, it is important to recognize the value of diversity and inclusion in the ICT industry. The Girls in ICT Week initiative provides a way to empower and encourage women and girls to pursue careers in a field that is rapidly evolving and becoming more essential to our daily lives. By equipping girls with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in ICT, we can create a workforce that is not only more diverse and inclusive, but also more innovative and competitive.