Colourful career choices for local students

YOUNG female students are being asked to make a colourful choice as part of an initiative to encourage women to think about a career in technology.

It’s all part of the

‘Are You Pink Or Purple’ project being run by ITB (the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown) and 18 Northside students from Coolmine Community School, Riversdale Community School and St Dominic’s College, Cabra are taking part.

They’re currently attending special digital media and computing clinics in ITB as well as industry visits to PayPal and eBay in Dublin 15 who are supporting the initiative.

The clinics are designed to give the students an overview of the various technology programmes on offer should they wish to further their education by going to college.

Initially funded by the Dormant Accounts Fund the project runs over three weeks and is now in its third year. Its key focus is to introduce positive female role models to the participants who have broken the mould and engaged in a career traditionally more male dominated.

The second goal of the project is to increase applications from females from local schools onto engineering and computing third level courses. ITB say it also hopes to encourage some levels of entrepreneurship so students may consider acquiring practical business skills as part of a PLC or third level course.

ITB Lecturer, Orla McMahon, said the project is an excellent way to introduce female students to the various technology courses available at ITB.

“The students had great fun creating cartoons and their own website in the workshops run at ITB,

? she said.

“The project gives them hands on experience of web based technology and opens their minds to the multitude of career opportunities open to them afterwards.

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Louise Phelan of PayPal said her company was delighted to collaborate on the project.

“While CAO figures show that numbers applying to technology courses are up this year, the trend for fewer numbers of female applicants continues,

? she added.

“It is important that we impress upon young women that they have the option to pursue an exciting career in technology and by taking part in this event, I hope that they will consider technology courses at third level.

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