“Close your eyes and imagine someone working in IT,” Cathy Alper tells a room full of young women learning about careers in information technology. The group has gathered to hear a message about technology, and how women can find fulfilling careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
On the projector, images of people working in call centers and on computers fade in and out. “Did you picture someone like this? Or this?”
“Or did you picture someone like this?” she asks, as the bleak slides turn to colorful images of women working on oil rigs, in fashion departments and in laboratories. Then, there’s a picture of Alper.
“Did you picture me?” she asks, to many raised eyebrows. “IT doesn’t have to be boring or mean you’re stuck programming at a computer all day. IT is about people and problem solving — I’ve worked in IT for 20 years, and I love it.”
Alper’s presentation is part of the Dream IT initiative, a program by CompTIA’s Advancing Women in IT (AWIT) Community. Dream IT, and the related AWIT Career Resource Center, are working to promote IT as a viable career path for women. As CompTIA’s director of member communities, Alper took the lead on both projects, though she credits the AWIT Community as a major resource for the project.
“We really couldn’t have done it without the support of the AWIT Community,” Alper said. “The content is all based on suggestions and input from our community members, and you’ll see many of those same people talking about their own IT journeys in the testimonial section.”
This year, AWIT is reaching 10,000 people with Dream IT’s message that IT is a great place for women and girls. The project goes hand-in-hand with the new AWIT Career Resource Center, which features tips, links, testimonials and information for women interested in entering IT. The site breaks down various careers and salaries available in IT — both in core IT careers like consulting and systems integration, as well as IT jobs in other industries, like retail, creative arts and hospitality.
“We want to show that you can be a database manager if you want, but you can also work in touch-screen technologies or use technology to make direct customer contact in a field like hospitality,” Alper explained.
The AWIT Career Resource Center also features testimonials from women in the AWIT community, tips for people entering IT and links to dozens of women- and girl-centric IT groups, like Chicago Girls in Computing, a friendly environment for high school girls who want to become more involved in technology.
“The real goal of the Dream IT program and the related Career Resource Center is to increase the number of women and girls who pursue careers in IT,” Alper said. “Women bring a balance of leadership styles and interpersonal skills to the IT workplace — there’s a lot of research on that — and bringing more women into the industry will help alleviate the IT skills gap, which the whole industry is facing.”
AWIT is actively seeking speakers to share the message of Dream IT, and the community built a robust packet for new speakers that includes slides, videos, handouts and presenter notes.
“We’re trying to make it very easy for people to give the presentation, so it’s all in there. We’ll walk you through the slideshow, give tips on presentations and even send you a leave-behind document to hand out to the audience afterward,” Alper said. “All we need are volunteers.”
The CompTIA AWIT Community has a wealth of professional IT men and women in its membership, and many of the women on the executive council offered testimonials on their own IT experiences for the website.
“We want real women in IT to be involved and share their stories with young women and girls to say, ‘IT is a place for you,’” Alper said. “We want to show women and girls that technology is a field where they can make a difference, play with the latest toys and work with technology and people. IT is a place where you can do challenging and fulfilling work.”
Volunteer to be a Dream IT speaker by emailing awit@comptia.org, or visit the AWIT Career Resource Center to learn more. CompTIA Communities like AWIT are open to CompTIA registered users and Premier Members. Register to join the community today.
Michelle Peterson is a communications specialist for CompTIA.
