Molding the future women frontrunners of IT

MANILA, Philippines - There is a systemic underrepresentation of women in the fields of science and technology with few women holding leadership roles in the industry. Despite their growing number in the workplace, men continue to outnumber them especially as the career ladder goes up.

According to International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), economic development and women’s empowerment are closely related goals —that to be able to maximize the economic potential of Eurasian countries, their ‘human capital,’ both male and female, must be maximized. To help address this social issue, the US-based non-profit organization launched the Tech Age Girls (TAG) program to encourage and develop skills of promising young female leaders by providing them with specialized information technology (IT) training and opportunities to engage in critical public discussion.

Through a partnership with IREX, the Philippine Community eCenter Network (PhilCeCNet), the US Department of State, and the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. — through its PLDT Innovation Laboratory (PLDT Innolab), the very first TAG training program in the Philippines was held recently where 28 girls from all over the country went through a 10-day IT boot camp and leadership training.

“During this program, we will help you become agents of change in your respective communities,” said Ryder Cobean, IREX Civil Society Program Associate and keynote speaker, as he welcomed the participants. “You were carefully chosen to participate in this training because you showed the leadership and technical potential, and by the end of this program, you will have the technical and professional skills and the confidence to become leaders.”

Finalists of the training program gathered at the PLDT Innolab at Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong City for the TAG boot camp. Out of the 250 applicants composed of the Top 30 students from different regional high schools, only 28 girls who showed leadership potential and promising IT skills were chosen to participate. The screening process took almost one year to complete.

By promoting greater female representation in the professional field of IT, TAG aims to support the economic development of the country at the individual and community levels. “By supporting this one-of-a-kind training, PLDT is able to do its part in preparing the potential female leaders of the next generation, particularly in the fields of science and technology,” said Joey Limjap, PLDT Head of ICT Research and Development.

“Our mission here at PLDT Innolab is to educate and promote information and communications technology (ICT) to everybody. We believe that through education, we can increase awareness on how technology will improve the lives of every Filipino,” Limjap added.

The participants were subjected to technical training, leadership workshops, and mini-internships. Notable women leaders of the country also gave motivational talks.

Through a video conference call, the participants were able to speak with Intel Malaysia corporate affairs manager Cheng Cheng Loo about the various undertakings of a woman in a prominent IT company. “Take the opportunity to learn about the changes; we are living in a fast-paced world. Learn how technology is being shaped and how it affects our daily lives,” Loo advised. She further added that being a leader is all about integrity and honesty, and that consistency in actions and values will inspire others to action.

Some local female leaders shared inspiring stories to the participants during several Women Leaders sessions. Among them were Sixth District Councilor of Manila Joy Dawis-Asuncion, Davao City librarian Nora Fe Alejar, and corporate affairs manager for Intel Philippines Yvonne Garcia-Flores who imparted valuable knowledge to the girls about taking care of responsibilities in every aspect of their lives. Other speakers such as Dr. Elizabeth Manugue, vice president at Development Academy of the Philippines; Dr. Angelo Ramos, chair of PhilCeCNet; and, Cobean of IREX shared principles of good leadership, communications planning and online tools, and project management. PLDT trainers took care of some technology-related workshops on basic computer hardware, internet security and basic networking.

The participants also got a sneak peek at what it is like to work in the telecommunications industry through their immersions in different PLDT departments.

A video call through PLDT facilities with fellow TAG participants in Vietnam, who were also going through the same program, proved to be one of the highlights. “By focusing on empowering the youth through specialized IT education and training, PLDT paves the way to the growth and development of the future leaders of the country as we inspire them to take on leadership roles to influence action among their peers, which will ultimately contribute to the transformation and progress of our nation,” said Limjap. “This first TAG boot camp was a success. We intend on continuing this program in the following years to strengthen the presence of female leaders in the fields of science and technology in the future.”