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19 Apr 2011 12:24:06
The University of Bedfordshire has held its second Women in IT seminar at the Luton campus.
The seminar was at Park Square on Tuesday, 5 April, and followed on from last year’s successful inaugural event.
It explored the different ways women have entered the profession and discussed ways of overcoming the obstacles that women must face. The audience, mainly comprising students from Bedford College, discussed their experiences so far.
Three speakers gave presentations on their journey into the IT industry, beginning with a fascinating talk by Cathy Brown from BT who gave a valuable insight into her particular route into IT and the different aspects of her work.
Then Tess Crosbie, a research student at the University, used her experiences of maternity leave to discuss ways of keeping careers alive while on a break. She led a discussion on how to break down stereotypes of the IT ‘nerd’ to make the industry more attractive to women.
University lecturer Dr Tahmina Ajmal lastly gave an inspiring talk on how science, engineering and IT need women to join these industries and thrive, not just for the good of the women but to the benefit of the industry itself.
Some current University students also came in and talked informally about their time studying in the Department of Computer Science and Technology.
Tess said: “The young women were able to relate their own experiences and expectations of working within the IT industry and some expressed a keen interest in entering the profession.
“An event like this is a useful focal point for women to consolidate and to break down the impression of isolation that can be a feature of work in a high-tech business.”
Next year’s event is already being planned in which it is hoped other local schools and colleges will be involved.
