Hong Kong – January 13, 2014 – This week saw Microsoft introduce an exciting new initiative – GirlSpark – to inspire and empower talented female students from different disciplines to join the ICT industry through workshops, sharing sessions and hands-on project experience. Empowering youth is one of the key themes under Microsoft’s flagship community drive SparkHK to empower Hong Kong’s growth and competitiveness through innovation. Under this youth pillar, GirlSpark will give tertiary female students the opportunity to develop leadership skills, explore the ICT industry, build up a robust peer network, and set them on the path to career success. GirlSpark was designed and launched by Microsoft in partnership with The Women’s Foundation, a leading NGO dedicated to the advancement of women and girls in Hong Kong.
“Microsoft sees the potential of young women as society’s business and technology leaders of tomorrow. We are committed to sharing with them deep insights and exciting opportunities in the ICT industry, thus promoting a better representation of women in the ICT industry and fostering innovations in the next digital decade. GirlSpark showcases a concerted and tripartite effort by industry, leaders across different sectors and non-government organizations for grooming young talents,” said Horace Chow, General Manager, Microsoft Hong Kong.
The Asia-Pacific region loses about US$89 billion a year in unrealized output by excluding women from parts of the economy, according to the United Nations. In Hong Kong, 57 percent of employers are having trouble finding the right staff, the highest percentage since 2008, according to a report by Manpower. The female labor force participation in Hong Kong has stalled at under 50 percent in the past decade given Hong Kong’s famously long working hours and a lack of accessible quality childcare services. With the elderly expected to make up 30 percent of the population by 2041, the government is encouraging more women to join the labor force.
As the leader in the global ICT industry, Microsoft is committed to offering fertile growth for the development of women in Hong Kong and to help young women join the workforce, as well as to facilitate the local employment and economy, particularly in the ICT industry. Microsoft GirlSpark aims to harness the job creation and economic growth potential of technology to boost the vigor and diversity of local workforce, as well as to accelerate innovation within the ecosystem.
“At The Women’s Foundation, our research shows that women are significantly under-represented in the STEM subjects in Hong Kong in terms of studies and career options due in large part to entrenched gender stereotypes and cultural attitudes, the absence of visible female role models and the lack of networking and mentorship opportunities,” said Su-Mei Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of The Women’s Foundation. “We are delighted to be working with Microsoft on GirlSpark which will hopefully inspire more young women in Hong Kong to consider a career in ICT.”
The 51 GirlSpark participants enjoyed a three-day camp from January 7-9, 2014, with experience sharing sessions by successful leaders from different sectors, ranging from government officials, legislative councilors, representatives from universities and business schools, senior executives from large corporations and NGOs, successful entrepreneurs, and ICT industry experts. The 51 female final-year or penultimate-year students hailed from five different universities in Hong Kong where they are pursuing a range of disciplines ranging from computer engineering, information systems to business and arts.
This GirlSpark initiative provides guidance and mentorship to help drive the success of nascent female talent in Hong Kong through:
- An in-depth understanding of career options and future opportunities in the ICT industry
- Working in teams to find a practical solution to a technology-based business case study, developed by the Ivey Business School
- Close encounters with outstanding leaders in the community
- An opportunity to network with fellow aspiring woman leaders
- A chance to join Microsoft as a summer intern and receive a certificate of completion in recognition of their outstanding achievements.
GirlSpark is a project under the YouthSpark initiative, with a unique focus to inspire talented young women to join the ICT industry. YouthSpark is a global Microsoft initiative that focuses on empowering youth through technology training, internship and placement. In Hong Kong, Microsoft has committed to donate HK$3 million in cash to 2 NGO partners to train up to 4,000 youths.
Emy Chan Hoi Ying from The University of Hong Kong said, “I’ve always been interested to develop my career in a number of industries, but I haven’t made up my mind yet. The ICT industry has always been one of my choices, but whether in Hong Kong or not, it has always been perceived as a male dominated industry. However, thanks to this camp and its numerous sharing sessions, I learned that it does not have to be this way, and women do have a place in the leadership of this sector. The group project activity in the camp was also a brilliant way for us to use our critical thinking skills and communication skills to cooperate with each other. Even though I am a girl, I now consider joining the ICT industry, maybe in the marketing sector, after graduation as a serious career path.”
Vaishnavi Kaushik from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology said, “The GirlSpark initiative organized by Microsoft and The Woman’s Foundation has been a transformational experience. The mentor sharing sessions and the industry expert talks have been immensely insightful in helping us understand the ICT landscape and the multitude of opportunities that it offers to all. The case projects and the accompanying team building and leadership experiences have been invaluable in aiding our personal and intellectual development. A career in the ICT industry is now a serious consideration after graduation!”
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About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
About The Women’s Foundation
The Women’s Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls in Hong Kong through ground-breaking research, impactful and innovative community programmes, and education and advocacy. In addition to its partnership with Microsoft for GirlSpark, the Foundation provides scholarships and hosts speaker and panel events to encourage women and girls to pursue studies and careers in the STEM subjects. For more information, go to www.thewomensfoundationhk.org.
