Computerworld

Women's IT group to be launched

An informal network of women in the IT industry is soon to become a registered company with its own website.

An informal network of women in the IT industry is soon to become a registered company with its own website.

Women In Technology, founded by American Carol Lee Davidson, is in the process of registering as a company and several large IT companies have pledged financial support for the proposed website, Davidson says.

Davidson, who migrated to New Zealand in 1994, has worked for several IT firms and is presently i-platform’s national sales manager for Oracle New Zealand.

She says the growing popularity of the informal Women in Technology gatherings has made it necessary to formalise the group.

“When 45 people turn up for a lunch, you need to do something.”

Approximately 200 women have indicated they’ll join and in addition to the website there will be regular seminars and a newsletter.

A longer-term aim is to generate revenue by operating an IT recruiting service through the company.

Asked why such an organisation is necessary when women are obviously well represented in the IT industry, Davidson replies “everyone knows there’s an old boys’ network in the industry – Women In Technology has been an unofficial girls’ network.”

The “unofficial girls’ network” becomes official over the next few weeks.