The new committee aims to reach over 700 members annually.
The Singapore Women in Tech (SG WIT), driven by the Infocomm Media Development Authority, and the five Polytechnics (Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the launch of the Cross-Polytechnic Girls in Tech (GIT) committee today. The signing of the MOU was witnessed by Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information, Dr Janil Puthucheary and Minister of State for Communications and Information, Tan Kiat How. Both prior to the MOU signing, had joined in an ideation workshop with the GIT committee for a 2-week hackathon in June organised by NCS and vLookup, one of the Cross-Polytechnic GIT events for the year.
The newly formed Cross-Polytechnic GIT Committee is made up of girls studying infocomm technology courses in the five polytechnics. As part of the MOU signed today, the five polytechnics will work with the Cross-Polytechnic GIT to explore collaborations to retain, develop and deepen the girls’ interest in a career in the tech industry. This will be done through programmes such as talks, workshops, competitions, and mentorship opportunities. SGWIT will support these activities organised by the Cross-Polytechnic GIT with speakers, venues, and sponsorship.
One key activity will be the annual ‘Girls in Tech Week’ in October 2022, in which girls from Institutes of Higher Learning, including those from Institutes of Technical Education, and universities, will be invited to company visits, tech talks and sharing sessions by female tech leaders in October 2022. This aims to inspire the girls to seize the available opportunities and overcome challenges in different tech job roles. Last year’s inaugural three -day virtual ‘Girls in Tech Week’ had attracted over 380 participants, as well as women leaders from 17 participating tech organisations who shared about the tech sector and their personal career experiences and journeys.
Dr Ong Chen Hui, Chairperson of SG Women in Tech, and Assistant Chief Executive of BizTech Group, IMDA said, “In Singapore, the proportion of female tech professionals is above the global average, at around four in ten. Yet, we still have much more to do. SG WIT will continue to reach out to girls and women to show them the possibilities of an exciting tech career to ignite their passion and interest in our industry. This collaboration between SG WIT and the Cross-Polytechnic Girls in Tech Committee will create more opportunities for tech companies to show how girls and women can contribute to the tech ecosystem. We hope to attract and develop more girls and women in tech through these efforts.”
Temasek Polytechnic Principal & CEO, Peter Lam, said, “We welcome the strong support provided by Singapore Women in Tech, industry leaders and the local community to groom and develop the next generation of female tech talents. We are delighted to see many tech companies and leaders taking action to attract, retain and develop talent among female students pursuing ICT courses in the polytechnics. The formation of the Cross-Polytechnic Girls in Tech Committee, along with this partnership with lead agencies and industry partners is an exciting step forward in creating an enabling environment for our female students, as they embark on a rewarding journey in the tech industry.”
President of Cross-Polytechnic Girls in Tech Committee, Krystal Lim Yun Shi said, “I’m pleased to see the acknowledgement and support being given to the powerful conversations, actions and perspectives that girls can bring to the tech sector. We are excited about this collaboration with SG Women in Tech and industry partners. This further propels the commitment and conviction for more multi-faceted opportunities to nurture tech talent among girls. We look forward to more girls and industry partners joining my team and I in this cause, to create greater vibrancy in the tech scene over the next decade and beyond.”
Since the launch of the SG WIT movement in 2019, the movement has expanded to include more Girls in Tech programmes including recognising girls from schools and institutions of higher education under the “Girls in Tech” category at the 2021 SG100WIT list.
