600 secondary school girls around NZ to experience day in the life in the tech industry

ShadowTech Day 2023 is next week

More than 600 secondary school girls have jumped at the opportunity to spend a day shadowing tech experts at organisations across the country next week. 

For one day girls in years 9-11 get to experience what working in the tech sector is like, encouraging them onto education pathways that lead into tech sector roles.

ShadowTech Day, delivered by TechWomen and supported by NZTech, has seen nearly 50 organisations in Hamilton, Cambridge, Wellington, Tauranga, Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland rush to offer opportunities to girls participating in the day. 

Students have been paired with a local tech organisation and will be taken through a “day in the life” experience that will see them sitting in on meetings, getting hands on with cool tech, and seeing what a typical day is like in the tech industry.

TechWomen Executive Director Yvonne Gill said, “ShadowTech Day is a fantastic opportunity for students to experience the wide range of career opportunities available to them in the tech sector”.

“Half of the New Zealand population is female, but a recent NZTech survey (Digital Skills Aotearoa: Edition 3) found that women make up only 29 per cent of the country’s digital IT workforce. This diversity challenge begins in education, with females making up only 40 per cent of NCEA technology students and 24 per cent of IT graduates. Programmes like this help break down barriers and myths that girls have, that tech is boring and for boys,” says Yvonne.

Tech is the fastest-growing industry in New Zealand and offers above-average salaries. Technology is also helping to solve some of the world’s toughest problems. From AI to healthtech, from SaaS to space, New Zealand is building world-class tech that’s good for business, good for people, and good for the planet, and we need a more diverse workforce to help the industry thrive.

“We’d like to thank all of our sponsors and supporters, Deloitte, nuimarkets, WellingtonNZ,  Tuatahi First Fibre, Ministry of Education and Tech Step for supporting ShadowTech Day 2023 and helping inspire girls into tech careers. Without their support we couldn’t make this important initiative happen. With additional sponsorship and resources we hope to bring ShadowTech Day to more locations next year.”

ShadowTech Day locations and dates:

Hamilton: Tuesday, 12 September

Cambridge: Tuesday, 12 September

Dunedin: Wednesday, 13 September

Wellington: Wednesday, 13 September

Tauranga: Wednesday, 13 September

Christchurch: Thursday, 14 September

Auckland: Thursday 14 September

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For more information or interview opportunities:

TechWomen Executive Director Yvonne Gill is available for further comment. Phone: +64 21 905030 or Email: yvonne.gill@techalliance.nz

If you would like to interview an organisation or school involved in the programme, please contact shadowtech@techalliance.nz