A lack of women entering the IT industry is a key concern for ANZ which employs more than 600 people in its technology team, says Craig Bunyan, GM technology..
To help reverse the trend, ANZ is working with WelTec in a partnership that includes a new award for outstanding female technology graduates.
“The gender balance in New Zealand’s IT workforce is bleak with females making up just 25 per cent and fewer women studying IT at tertiary level, indicating a worrying downward trend,” says Bunyan.
“Diversity in our workforce means we can deliver better solutions for our customers. Right now we’re missing out on a lot of talent who are looking past a career in technology."
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The gender balance in New Zealand’s IT workforce is bleak with females making up just 25 per cent and fewer women studying IT at tertiary level, indicating a worrying downward trend.
“We’re building a relationship with WelTec to encourage more women into technology, through this award and also through our Technology Internship Program.
He says with one of the largest schools of business and IT in the country and almost 450 people studying IT at degree and post graduate level, WelTec is the ideal partner to work with to start addressing the skills shortage and gender imbalance in the sector..
Linda Sissons, WelTec CEO, lauds ANZ's campaign to encourage more people to go into ICT. “We are delighted to partner with ANZ which, by offering an award and an internship programme, is acting proactively to get more women into IT.”
The $2000 ANZ Award for Most Outstanding Female Graduate was presented to Georgia Bennett, who graduated with a bachelor of information technology majoring in information assurance and security.
“I very much appreciate ANZ acknowledging there is a need to encourage diversity in the workplace through awards like this,” says Bennett. “Under-representation by women in technology is a well-documented issue and to address it New Zealand needs to do more with young women and even girls at secondary school.”
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