Lewisville Middle School in Anglophone East School District in Moncton, NB, hosted an inspiring event on April 27, 2023, to celebrate International Girls in ICT Day. The Centre of Excellence for Digital Innovation was pleased to host the event, which was entirely led and run by women from the district as well as speakers from industry and academia. The event focused on the theme of “Digital Skills for Life,” and aimed to inspire and encourage girls to pursue a future in ICTs. The speakers included Céline Gallien, Acting Subject Coordinator- Numeracy and Science Anglophone East School District, as well as Courtney Perrault, Kerry Knee, and Nury Kim, shared her experiences as a recent graduate of software engineering and her plans to start her career as a software developer at Bell this summer. Kerry Knee, Managing Director and Partner at Manifold Group, Canada, talked about her extensive experience in business planning, raising capital, and forming strategic partnerships in various industries, including EdTech. Nury Kim, a software engineering graduate from the University of New Brunswick, shared her passion for advocating for women in STEM and inspiring more girls to pursue a career in technology. The event was a great success and provided valuable insights and inspiration to young girls interested in pursuing a career in technology. The Centre of Excellence for Digital Innovation and the speakers demonstrated their commitment to supporting girls in ICT and empowering them with the necessary skills and confidence to achieve their goals.
Following the inspiring speeches by the women leaders in technology and business, the event at Lewisville Middle School continued with a hands-on session led by Science and Technology mentors at ASD-E, Beth Doiron, Jordan Smith, and Vanessa Poirier-LeBlanc. These mentors helped the 31 middle school girls who were participating in the event to gain practical experience in ICT and develop their digital skills.
The session aimed to empower the girls to become ICT creators and users in the digital world. The mentors provided guidance and support to help the girls explore and learn about various aspects of technology, including software engineering, coding, and other digital skills.
The hands-on session was an excellent opportunity for the girls to put into practice the knowledge and insights they gained from the speakers. It also provided a safe and supportive environment where they could learn and experiment with new technologies without any fear of failure.
Thanks to the Science and Technology mentors at ASD-E, the girls were able to gain valuable experience in ICT and develop the confidence and skills necessary to pursue a career in technology. The event at Lewisville Middle School was a great success, and it is a testament to the commitment of the Centre of Excellence for Digital Innovation and the ASD-E to support and empower young girls in ICT.
