In this, my first ‘President’s Podium’ as President of the IITPSA, I wish to thank my fellow board members and IITPSA members for the faith they have shown in my ability to lead the Institute into the future. I stand on the shoulders of giants – the past presidents who have led the Institute thus far. I am honoured to serve with fellow board members who are dedicated and committed to the cause of leading IT professionalism and ethical digital transformation.
A particular passion of mine is promoting Science, Technology and Innovation in early education, and empowering girls and young women to take advantage of opportunities in the IT sector. In line with this, one of my tasks as the new IITPSA President will be to focus on growing our Women in IT (WIIT) Chapter. This Chapter was created specifically to encourage girls to enter the profession and support women already working in IT, by creating a platform for growth, development and mentorship.
With the gender imbalance still signicant, a growing IT skills gap, and so many young people unemployed, we see bringing more women into IT as an initiative that can benet industry, individuals and society as a whole. This is, however, a big job that requires committed people to drive it.
We urge our women members to consider becoming actively involved in WIIT. By giving of your time and inspiration, you can help make the Chapter more benecial for every member. More importantly, you can help drive activities such as events, webinars, mentorship and outreach programmes that have a lasting impact on the lives of our nation’s girls and young women.
We have some exciting events coming up in the month of October, in the Western Cape as well as Kwazulu-Natal. Please see the notice below in the newsletter, for more information about how to get involved.
Warm regards,
Senele Goba,
President of the IITPSA
