Every fourth Thursday in April marks International Girls in ICT Day, an initiative launched by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a United Nations agency, which aims to encourage women’s participation in technology careers and reduce the gender gap in STEM fields.
This year, the School of Engineering joined in the commemoration with a day of activities that included several concurrent workshops aimed at girls in the 9th grade of EBI and the 1st grade of EMS.
The proposals covered topics such as biotechnology and robotics, as well as talks with students and graduates in the field.
“We really enjoy these kinds of activities, which not only raise awareness of the various opportunities in ICT but also encourage students to envision themselves studying and working in the tech industry,” said Cecilia Belletti, academic coordinator of the Systems Engineering program.
A structural problem that begins before choosing a career
According to the “Women and the IT Industry 2025” report by Cuti’s IT Observatory, women in Uruguay account for just 20% of all applicants for positions in IT companies, and this figure is even lower when it comes to leadership roles. This low representation begins to be evident at an early age: the percentage of women choosing science-focused high school programs or technology-related college majors is also significantly lower.
“There are many factors that influence girls’ decision not to pursue a career in technology. Society, often in invisible ways, imposes a ceiling on our perception of how far we can go or which careers are considered appropriate, ”said Mariana Ferrari, associate academic coordinator of Biotechnology. “Giving girls the opportunity to visit an engineering school from an early age and see women who have earned degrees in that field plants a seed.”
Technology with a purpose and real-world examples
The workshops were organized by the coordinators of various departments. They provided opportunities for reflection, creativity, and experimentation— ranging from programming to robotics—all designed to address social issues.
“Girls in ICT Day is important for continuing to foster their interest in fields such as robotics, both in college and in their professional lives. I’m delighted to be part of this event,” said Mariana Derderian, associate academic coordinator of Telecommunications, Electrical Engineering, and Electronics.
The day concluded with a special event titled “Women in Technology,” in which leading figures and upperclassmen from the school shared their career paths with the girls. The goal: to inspire them through personal connection, showing them that studying technology isn’t some distant dream, but a real possibility.