Girls computer clubs aim to tackle IT skills shortage

A new programme aiming to alleviate a future IT skills shortage by getting girls interested in technology has been launched by e-skills UK.

The Computer Club For Girls (CC4G) is part of the Skills Sector Agreement for IT & Telecoms action plan for IT skills in the UK, which was also released today.

Part of the plan is to make IT careers more attractive to young people. Girls are targeted in particular as women currently make up only 20 per cent of the IT workforce, down from 23 per cent in 2001. In addition, women only make up 20 per cent of those undertaking IT-related degree courses, according to e-skills UK.

The driver for the skills plan is the forecast that the UK will need 180,000 new people to fill IT professional jobs every year.

Speaking at the launch of the CC4G initiative today, Skills Minister Phil Hope said: "It's crucial to have women involved in the IT workforce to meet employers' needs."

The computer clubs will roll out to 3,600 schools and 150,000 girls over the next three years, starting in September. They target girls ages 10 to 14 and aim to get them more interested in IT by allowing them to undertake creative projects - such as creating animations and designing celebrity posters - on a computer.

Among the skills they learn are programming, web design and mind mapping, collaboration and project management.

The club has been piloted in the southeast of England and, of the 3,500 girls who have participated, 66 per cent say they are more likely to pursue a career in technology than before joining, according to e-skills UK.

Karen Price, CEO of e-skills UK, said at today's launch that these girls now possess skills that many working adults do not have. "It's not just about creating people to enter the IT industry - everyone uses IT," she said. "These young people are an attribute to any workforce."

The CC4G has support from big corporate names such as British Airways, Cisco, EDS, Ford Motor Company and IBM, who have given funds, volunteers to work in the clubs and advice on coursework.

Three software makers, Gael, Idigicon and Serif, are also donating 25,000 licences or more than £800,000 worth of graphic design, web publishing and gaming software for use in the clubs.

Stephen Gill, VP and MD of Hewlett-Packard UK and Ireland, said at the CC4G launch: "The club is changing the perspective and attitude of girls at a crucial point and it allows us to move into a very important part of the market."

Larry Hirst, CEO of IBM UK, explained that corporate social responsibility programmes must always impact the bottom line. And getting more women into IT can benefit the business. "Women negotiate win-win deals," he said. "It costs more to lose a deal later than you gain from winning it now."

Hirst also pointed out that IT vendors can benefit from having women in their workforce because many of their customers are small businesses and more than half of small businesses are run by women.

Plus: Read silicon.com's leader on the state of IT skills in the UK.