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She Loves Data: Workshops that inspire women to find their voice in technology
24 Sep 2019
In the ever-shifting sphere of international education, it’s common for schools and universities to continuously search for ways to glue together the STEM gender gap and create equal opportunities for students.
Spurred on by startling statistics, educators around the world are trying their best to push the negative effects of gender disparity away from classroom doors.
Overshadowed by the prevalence of the PwC 2017 report, which reviewed the plight of women in tech, academic institutions acknowledge that it’s time to close the gender gap and rebalance the future pipeline of talent in technology.
In the report, it was outlined that only 27 percent of female respondents said that they would consider a career in technology, compared to 62 percent of males.
Yet, 63 percent of all students expect new technology to change the skills employers look for and only 22 percent could name a famous female working in tech.
Fast forward to 2019, and the McKinsey Global Institute’s The future of women at work: Transitions in the age of automation report provides further insight into the gender gap, stating that “Women will need to be skilled, mobile, and tech-savvy to adapt to the new world of work.”
It adds that, “Between 40 million and 160 million women globally may need to transition between occupations.”
Too late to turn back to traditional, it’s evident that the time is now for female students and employees to increase their digital literacy skills in order to thrive in the age of automation.
And one future-facing organisation that knows what women must do to upskill is She Loves Data.
Born out of the belief that women have many talents, virtues and values to bring to the table when it comes to data, technology and analytics, She Loves Data drives learners’ dreams forward with highly interactive workshops, operating in many corners of the map.
From Sydney to Singapore, all workshops are taught by subject matter experts, active in the fields of Data Analytics, Data Science and/or Data Visualisation.
To gain further insight into this progressive initiative, Study International took the chance to interview She Loves Data Co-Founder and MD, Jana Marlé-Zizková.
Ready to make a real-world impact, Jana believes that by providing education and events for female professionals and female mid-career changers from all walks of life, they’ll successfully upgrade their school and university knowledge with fresh concepts and master contemporary tech trends.
Noting the urgency of current industry changes, she reminds us that, “The fourth tech revolution is happening as we speak with such a speed, and if we do not update our skills, we might not have a job in a few years.”
As data literacy is now requested in many non-technical jobs, companies are trying to upskill their workforce. She Loves Data‘s free seminars and workshops have already seen more than 6,500 attendees, mainly women, highlighting the need to talk about data.
Tech education starting early
When asked the question, “Do you think that the basis of tech education should begin at a K-12 level?”
Jana agreed.
“Yes, logical thinking is an important part that should be taught as early as possible. Kids are growing up with mobile devices in their hands; they should learn about the technology enabling them to play games, search for information, and so on.”
Sharing motivational stories from her previous workshops, Jana justifies the need for early introductions into the world of tech.
“One woman in her early forties joined the workshop, quit her job as an HR consultant to study an MBA in business analytics full-time. A few months ago, she started to work as a Data Analyst. Another woman whose daughter studies Data Analytics came to our sessions to understand what her daughter’s future is about and to be able to talk to her about her studies.”
From mid-way career changes to curious parents, the workshops at She Loves Data attracts diverse talent, demonstrating that education in tech applies from the early stages to the very late stages of learning.
The story behind She Loves Data
After sharing stories from the She Loves Data workshops, we wanted to know what drew Jana to starting such a progressive and innovative organisation.
“Because there are not enough women in the tech industry, so my inspiration is to help women to find their voice in technology, help them to stop being insecure about data and tech, understand that it is important knowledge for their future, so they can join the tech discussions without feeling embarrassed,” she elucidates.
Passionate about strengthening women’s voices and leadership, She Loves Data is an opportunity worth pursuing.
Driven by a dedicated team of data professionals and like-minded thought leaders, it’s never too late to recalculate your career direction with She Loves Data’s guidance and belief in a female-focused workforce.
Offering a few final words of advice for anyone hoping to delve into the tech sector or considering a tech-based degree, Jana encourages you to “Pursue a career in data – it does not have to mean coding; it can mean starting as a marketing technologist or business analyst.”
And she wants us all to be proud of our differences as they are important in solving data/tech-related problems.
“We need diversity in tech to drive better results, so there is no need to worry. It’s time to turn your gender into your advantage.”
*Click here to see if there are any upcoming She Loves Data events happening nearby your university.
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