Ten years in the past, Cisco Networking Academy launched the Girls Rock-IT initiative within the APJC area to assist deal with the gender imbalance within the tech business.
This system was designed to point out younger ladies that there’s a future for them in tech, with actions together with Be taught-A-Thons, volunteer occasions, and dwell digital broadcasts that includes outstanding ladies in IT who might function inspiring role-models for Girls Rock-IT contributors. Throughout this time, Girls Rock-IT has hosted 82 broadcast occasions with 141 audio system, seen by over 2 million viewers, leading to 868,481 course registrations.
Present LinkedIn knowledge suggests ladies compromise simply 29.2% of all Science Expertise Engineering Math (STEM) employees. As a result of this underrepresentation of ladies within the STEM workforce as we speak reinforces an underrepresentation sooner or later, it’s critical we deal with this challenge.
At Cisco our company objective is to energy an inclusive future for all, and addressing a gender imbalance in STEM is an integral a part of that.
Attracting ladies to tech
I’m thrilled to report that efforts like Girls Rock-IT are paying off. Over the previous ten years, we’ve elevated the presence of ladies and ladies in Cisco Networking Academy programs from 20 % to 27 %, globally. Clearly, we have now additional to go, however a 35 % improve in participation of ladies in this system is a major achievement that speaks volumes about our collective dedication.
Massive points
Yearly for the reason that inception of Girls Rock-IT in 2013, ladies on the chopping fringe of technological innovation talk about their expertise within the discipline. Individuals achieve invaluable insights about how ladies can thrive in what continues to be too incessantly seen as a male area.
From its first regional APJC speaker Monica Morrow who, on the time, was the area’s Chief Technical Officer and spoke about having a seat on the desk, to final 12 months’s inspiring world panel broadcasting on efficiently making use of know-how to local weather tech challenges, Girls Rock-IT contributors get to listen to from those that have solid significant careers in tech, addressing urgent problems with the day.
Ladies in ICT Day: a marquee Girls Rock-IT occasion
The annual marquee occasion of Girls Rock-IT aligns with Worldwide Ladies in ICT Day. This 12 months, the Girls Rock-IT program addressed Synthetic Intelligence (AI), which has the potential to vary every part, together with its inherent moral challenges.
AI is ready to vary the world, and tomorrow’s IT workforce must be AI-literate. In our Q2 FY24 Cisco Networking Academy Scholar Consequence Survey of 1,400 college students, 63 % of Cisco Networking Academy college students inform us they’re utilizing AI as we speak and 17 % have already got superior abilities on this space.
We’re proud our college students are at the forefront of know-how studying. Actually, 88 % of our college students consider Cisco Networking Academy is on the forefront of this quickly evolving tech world.
Our current Cisco Networking Academy pupil survey reveals that 53 % of males are already harnessing AI at work, in comparison with simply 44 % of females, however that extra ladies than males are anticipating AI schooling.
Ladies in ICT Actions
This 12 months’s Ladies in ICT Day on April 25 impacted 36,025 college students reached through the dwell broadcast, International Be taught-A-Thon, and Cisco worker volunteer occasions, with 1.23 million attain on social media channels.
Congratulations to the Girls Rock-IT workforce and Cisco volunteers for orchestrating a really impactful Ladies in ICT Day occasion. It was an inspiring showcase that highlighted our dedication to fostering range within the tech business.
Inspiring audio system
For our dwell broadcast, main ladies in AI shared their expertise within the discipline.
Dr. Tanya Berger-Wolf mentioned her work as a computational ecologist working on the distinctive intersection of pc science, wildlife biology, and social sciences. Tanya is Director of the Translational Knowledge Analytics Institute and Professor of Pc Science Engineering, Electrical and Pc Engineering, in addition to Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology on the Ohio State College.
Dr. Elizabeth Bondi-Kelly, Assistant Professor on the College of Michigan explored the influence of AI on society. She mentioned moral issues of AI and advocates for accountable AI growth to mitigate dangers and guarantee useful outcomes for all.
International Be taught-A-Thon
This 12 months, the International Be taught-A-Thon noticed college students team-up to take introductory programs in Knowledge Science or Cybersecurity, with a digital badge awarded to these reaching 70 % or extra on their examination and a Cisco Be taught-A-Thon expertise digital badge.
“I am really inspired by Women Rock-IT,” says attendee Thendeka Zesuliwe Zikode from rural Bergville, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. “My wish is to study more and get full support in technology and AI, so that I can help other girls around my ’hood.”
Cisco occasions
Over 230 Cisco volunteers organized occasions in Cisco workplaces and faculties worldwide this 12 months. Attendees had been capable of meet ladies working for Cisco and discuss to them about their expertise in tech.
Become involved
Lastly, I’d prefer to take this chance to thank all of the Cisco workers, Academy companions and instructors, and our audio system for getting behind Ladies in ICT. The influence this makes wouldn’t be potential with out you.
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