Technology Distribution (TD) has urged young females to embrace opportunities inherent in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. This is especially as females remain underrepresented in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in African countries, including Nigeria.
Chioma Chimere, coordinating managing director, TD, who spoke with secondary school girls at the ‘This is Me – The Tech Talk’ programme organised by the company to celebrate International Girls in ICT Day on April 25 at the Zone Tech park in Lagos, said, “The girl child should pursue careers in ICT because the opportunities are limitless.
”I think the opportunities are already available because the ICT industry is such that admits its kind, it is attractive. So long as you are mentally prepared for it, then you can harness the opportunities.
”Most times it is not a question of educational qualification. You don’t have to be an Electrical Electronics Engineer or a Computer Engineer to find a career in ICT. I am a graduate of English Language and Literature and I have been in IT for 23 years.
”Our industry is very dynamic. So any woman who is hard working and dynamic in character would flourish naturally in ICT.”
TD brought together over 150 girls from Senior Secondary 2 (SS2) to educate them on self love and ICT opportunities, and future career growth.
“We decided to talk to these young girls about loving yourself, talks about the perspective of a man, and then we had highly acclaimed CEOs give them stories of their growth from grass to grace. This is so that the girls understand what life is all about, so that they can start young to create values and live by those values,” she said.
Giving examples of female CEOs in global tech companies, Stanley Opaleke, group executive director, Zinox Group, said the young girls should aspire to be leaders like Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM, Safra Catz, co-CEO of Oracle, and Chioma Ekeh, CEO of Technology Distribution Africa.
“These are all women heading global ICT companies worth billions of dollars and doing very well at it. I believe that we are in a female take-over dispensation and real men are happy about that,” Opaleke said.
Chidalu Ekeh, head of marketing, Konga, urged the girl-child to always love herself, so as to break barriers, saying, “’Loving Yourself’ is a journey, a process that needs to be nurtured.” She said the female gender should apply the principle of potentiality.
”In accepting your flaws, don’t forget to appreciate your strength and laud your accomplishments. You have to be yourself and ensure you are a positive person, hold on to your dreams and be flexible,” Ekeh said.
Also speaking, Ify Afe, managing director of Hewlett-Packard (HP), said women must learn to grow each other, and urged them not to work in silos, stressing that building healthy relationships with each other would bring about the desired growth.
