ICT workforce without women, girls unthinkable – CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General

An Information and Communications Technology (ICT) workforce without women and girls is unthinkable, and the non-inclusion of women in the ICT world will put them in an economically disadvantaged position.

This was the view expressed on Thursday by CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General, Ambassador Manorma Soeknandan PhD., as she addressed a forum to observe Girls in ICT Day 2016 at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Georgetown, Guyana.

The forum was held under the theme ‘ Tech Girls for a Tech World. Girls and women in ICT; beneficial for every country’.

This is a most appropriate theme since an ICT workforce (or any workforce) without women and girls is unthinkable. The non-inclusion of women in the ICT world will put them in an economic disadvantaged position. Women can be denied access to positions of influence in industry and government due to lack of relevant skills and experience.

Women’s interests may not be well represented if they are not presented in the decision-making process, in the products and services produced by the ICT and other key industries. We, women, might have a different approach in conducting activities and when dealing with problem-solving, but it does not mean that we are less capable or that we are not qualified to do the job,” she told the girls and women at the event.

She pointed out that as the world changed, and as science and technology and media continued to gel, women and girls were increasingly viewed as an essential element in a global economy built upon ICTs.

The Deputy Secretary-General highlighted the gap that existed between the size of the ICT workforce demanded and the current global supply, and the need for women and girls to take advantage of the opportunities in the sector.

Coupled with the fact that an estimated 9 out of 10 future jobs will require ICT skills, this makes a really good argument about why girls should pursue these jobs, there are enough jobs for everyone!

Where can these jobs be found you ask? Just take a look at what are some of the things which are topical in our world and Region today. Climate change, natural disasters, unemployment, energy, agro-processing, aviation engineering, cosmetics, even in family-owned businesses, we need competence in ICT to modernise the family business and to be able to compete and survive,” she said.

The Deputy Secretary-General was one of the main speakers at the opening ceremony of the event. Other presenters included the Hon. Catherine Hughes, Minister of Public Telecommunications and Tourism, Guyana, and the Hon. Nicolette Henry, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Guyana.