This week we are proud to be part of the Pink Cloud initiative in Italy. Now in its third year, the program was initiated to help more young women take up technical and scientific studies and acquire digital skills. We recognise that doing so helps more young women to enter the workforce, spurs them on to succeed in the tech sector, and encourages gender parity in the industry. The three-day event will deliver free ICT-related training to 1,500 young women, primarily from Italy and across Europe. It aims to inspire more women to pursue tech-related studies and careers through 150 free courses, hackathons, networking opportunities and inspirational talks from successful female role models.
Programs such as the Pink Cloud are just the beginning. More can be done to encourage young women with a passion for science and technology to pursue it at every stage of their lives – as they start school, as they enter higher education, as they choose a vocation and as they climb the career ladder. We can start by giving more air time to inspirational women of all ages who are already blazing a trail to the top in the tech industry. Women like Karen Marquez, the CEO of Infantium that produces games for early learning and cognitive development. Karen was selected as one of 12 finalists of the European Commission’s Tech All Stars, and has called for Governments in Europe to make it easier for businesses like Infantium to attract international talent. Equally inspiring is Beatrice Viotti, an app developer and student in Italy, who designed ‘UP Calabria’, an app created by 18-19 year old students who used mobile technology to highlight the beautiful landscape of Calabria, encouraging more tourists to visit the region, spurring on further economic growth.
As we hear from Karen, Beatrice and other inspirational digital leaders at the Pink Cloud events this week, let’s hope that many more young, tech-savvy women are inspired to follow in their footsteps.
Nuvola Rosa is organised by Microsoft, ASUS, Aviva and Accenture, in partnership with UN WOMEN, the United Nations body for Gender Equality and Female Empowerment, UNRIC and ITU. For more information on the event and how to participate, visit www.nuvolarosa.eu/en/pink-cloud
