Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
[STK]
[IN] ITE PUB WRK
[SU] WOM NPT
-- WITH PHOTO -- TO BUSINESS, AND TECHNOLOGY EDITORS:
CompTIA Urges IT Industry Leaders to Help Others Dream IT
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., April 23, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
--Information technology (IT) industry leaders who've enjoyed success
in their careers are invited to join non-profit association CompTIA in
a new effort to bring more women into the technology workforce and to
help them Dream IT.
Dream IT is a new evangelism platform to empower girls and women to
pursue degrees and careers in technology. CompTIA, through its
Advancing Women in IT Community, is encouraging technology business
owners, executives and leaders to get involved in the effort.
"Our goal is to create a grassroots movement and reach 10,000 women
and girls with information about the opportunities, rewards and value
of IT professions," said Nancy Hammervik, senior vice president,
industry relations CompTIA.
Hammervik will speak about the initiative today at the Channel Focus
North America event in Phoenix.
"Through Dream IT, women currently employed in the industry, those who
aspire to join us and men who support our mission will be equipped to
go into their communities and schools and speak directly with women
and girls about careers in technology," Hammervik said.
A full online set of resources - including presentation materials,
videos and career information - will launch this summer. CompTIA has
issued an immediate call for speakers in advance of the launch.
There are compelling reasons for women and girls to examine the IT
field as a career option.
"IT is one of the fastest industries, one that's expected to be worth
$5 trillion by 2020," Hammervik noted. "This explosive growth has made
it an attractive career choice for millions of people around the
world."
During the first quarter of 2014 there were 589,205 core IT job
openings in the U.S, according to Burning Glass Technologies Labor
Insights. That's a 26-percent increase over Q1 2013. Additionally, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that IT workers earn more than
twice the national average yearly salary ($76,000 vs. $35,000).
The need to do more to bring women into the IT workforce is equally
compelling. While women make up roughly half of the total U.S.
workforce, they account for just 28 percent of core IT occupations.
"Young women can fill this gap, but we must do a better job of
communicating their own potential first," said Hammervik.
Earlier this year CompTIA published a research brief titled Women Set
on the Path to Success with a Career in IT. The report, available at
http://www.comptia.org/members/default.aspx, is an example of free
web-based content available to registered users as part of CompTIA's
new open access model.
Anyone interested in being considered as a Dream IT speaker should
contact Cathy Alper, manager of the CompTIA Advancing Women in IT
Community, at calper@comptia.org.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130107/DC38135LOGO
SOURCE CompTIA
-0- 04/23/2014
/CONTACT: Steven Ostrowski, CompTIA, 630-678-8468, sostrowski@comptia.org
/Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130107/DC38135LOGO
/Web Site: http://www.comptia.org
CO: CompTIA
IN: ITE PUB WRK
SU: WOM NPT
PRN
-- DC10391 --
0000 04/23/2014 15:30:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
