Women represent just 20 per cent of Australia’s digital technology workforce, with nearly a third of female digital technology workers leaving the sector within 10-15 years of service.
This is well below the participation rate of women in other industries such as finance and insurance (27 per cent) and women in Australia’s workforce (46 per cent).
Meanwhile, only 14 per cent of digital technology graduates are females.
Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade Philip Dalidakis, in an effort to ramp up support for girls and women in the digital technology sector, officially launched the Australian chapter of Girls in Tech last night.
“Girls in Tech will play a leading role in helping to address the gender imbalance in Australia’s digital technology sector, by empowering girls and women to cultivate ideas and learn new skills to help advance their careers,” Mr Dalidakis said.
“If we want to become the number one tech destination across the Asia Pacific, the industry needs to step-up and create more opportunities for girls and women.”
Girls in Tech is a global non-profit organisation focused on engagement, education and empowerment of women in digital technology.
The organisation runs workshops, courses, events and programs for women who are studying or working in the tech industry, in the hope of women becoming more involved in science and technology.
The minister concluded that such collaborative networks will drive lasting change in the industry – providing the support women and girls in Victoria need to drive digital technologies and the economy.