It has been some time since I’ve posted, not because there has been no action but because I’ve been super busy doing awesome things!
Most importantly I want to talk about the 2015 Search for the Next Tech Girl Superhero which is now in its 7th week. We have more than 130 girls registered from all over Australia, matched with 25+ mentors who are kindly offering up their time to walk the teams through to building an app. This is an increase of more than 100 girls from last year! Teams will pitch their app on YouTube on the 30th of September along with submitting a short business plan.
This week we are excited to announce that the winning national team will win a 6-week virtual internship with tech entrepreneurs B&D Consultants! See the flyer here
The reason the competition is important is because “the demand for ICT workers in Australia is forecast to increase by 100,000 workers over six years” (Deloitte Access Economics Report 2015). One of the main findings of this report is important to note:
“Not only do Australian students need to be digitally literate, but they are also required to be capable in building digital solutions for the problems of the future”.
Many of our school children are not digitally literate. This is a significant concern. “Based on the proficiency levels identified in the NAP, a little more than 60% of Year 6 and 10 students reached or exceeded the proficient standard for ICT literacy in 2011 (Chart 3.1) “
This is why the Search for the Next Tech Superhero and the work of the Tech Girls Movement is so important. It provides school girls with hands on skills to build a business and a technology product, providing them with confidence and networks to create their own futures. Read more about the competition in our Financial Review article.