'NZ needs more young women choosing pathways into technology'

New Zealand is striving to increase the number of young women pursuing careers in the technology sector. The ShadowTech26 initiative, taking place across nine locations over two weeks, seeks to engage over 1,500 teenagers in technology-related careers. Tech Women executive director Yvonne Gill emphasized the need for more women in the tech industry, highlighting its high earning potential and growing demand.

The events feature workplace tours, hands-on activities, interactive workshops, and inspiring stories from industry professionals.

Gill stressed that technology is one of New Zealand's most lucrative and in-demand industries. As artificial intelligence automates many routine tasks, a diverse workforce becomes crucial for the sector's continued growth and problem-solving capabilities. Participants come from 90 schools in various regions, including Nelson, Dunedin, Timaru, Wellington, Christchurch, Palmerston North, Auckland, Waikato, and Tauranga, alongside representatives from over 60 organizations.

The initiative aims to provide a hands-on, realistic view of technology as a career, not an abstract subject. Recent statistics indicate that women are underrepresented in the digital skills pipeline. Aotearoa's Digital Skills 4th Edition reveals that women constituted only 27 percent of IT degree enrolments in 2024, down from 31 percent a decade earlier.

Gill stressed that early exposure to technology is vital, but there is much work left to do to attract more women to the fast-growing tech sector. By exposing students to workplaces, role models, and diverse career paths, the initiative hopes to instill confidence in girls, showing them the breadth of opportunities available in technology.