BALLARAT ICT FOR WOMEN NETWORKING LUNCH - 2007

Formed in mid 2006, the Ballarat ICT for Women group recently held its second official function, a networking luncheon for more than 30 (mostly female) information technology professionals.

Margot Ingoldby, from Multimedia Victoria, and major supporter of Women in ICT facilitated a panel of local professionals: Laura Campbell, from Lateral Plains; Patrice Braun, from the University of Ballarat's Centre for Regional Innovation and Competitiveness and Helen Hoskin from IBM Regional Software Solutions.

Panel and audience members discussed a range of issues related to the attraction, progression and retention of women in information technology careers. Topics included:

• Considering how young women might be attracted into careers in IT.
• A recognition that IT careers often provide employees with enormous flexibility.
• Potential for career progression to be achieved rapidly - It's about innovation and ideas which much less emphasis on seniority and time served.
• You might continue to be employed while back-packing overseas!
• In terms of marketing IT careers - It's not just young people that should be targeted.
• There was agreement among attendees that many individuals had 'fallen into IT'.
• Today's graduates will experience a number of career switches throughout their working life.
• Broadening employee attraction strategies may support achievement of greater diversity in the IT workplaces over time.
• Retention strategies might be enhanced by supporting more flexible arrangements - i.e. working from home.
• Organisations need to ensure systems in place to effectively support flexible arrangements - i.e. support social aspects of work, foster team connections, share information, inclusive in celebrating achievement etc.

Feedback from Participants:

"...Great opportunity to gain further understanding of other women's roles in Innovation & CT within this region"

"...very enjoyable opportunity. Look forward to the next one."

"...the interaction during discussion was great"

"...The energy and enthusiasm of people, their willingness to participate and share. The informal nature of it which made it non-threatening which, I suspect, is why people were willing to participate..."

"...For years I have been looking for a professional organisation that relates to my work. Today I found it."

The Ballarat Women in ICT luncheon was organised by the University of Ballarat's Centre for eCommerce and Communications with sponsorship from Multimedia Victoria and VicICT for Women.