Explore IT focuses on introducing young women to career possibilities in ICT. Women are underrepresented in the ICT field and while females represent 56.4% of university enrollment and 52.5% of college enrollment, only 23.4% of workers in ICT occupations were female in 2006.2 Along with engineering and technology programs, ICT programs experience very low female enrollment. In 2005 (the most recent year for which there is published data), women accounted for only 14.4% of undergraduate degrees in computer engineering and 15.1% in software engineering

Explore IT is an interactive conference for grade nine girls to explore the exciting world of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Leading edge institutions and corporations work together to increase girls’ awareness of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and related career options that will inspire them and help shape their potential futures. Using state of the art technology at Mount Royal University, SAIT Polytechnic, and the University of Calgary, the girls participate in hands-on sessions in areas such as multimedia, networking, cinema, television, Java programming, robotics, geomatics, and web page design.

Mark 9 May 2012 in your calendar and check out the Explore IT website for more information and registration.