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ITbeat is a collaboration between the music industry, the Government and the business community to address IT's poor image with girls and encourage 11-15 year olds to rethink their attitudes to careers in IT. Its aim is to enable teenage girls to learn 'new creative, professional IT skills in a fun environment'. The project, developed by e-skills UK has enlisted the support of pop stars, including Liberty X and Rhianna; soap opera actors, including East Ender Michael Greco; and young female IT role models.
Announcing the launch of ITbeat, it claims: "To boost IT's feisty female image, ITbeat has trawled the country to find and enlist the help of some of the UK's most exciting female movers and shakers. The result is 10 young, successful IT buffs who are busy putting the girl-power back into IT.
The 10 female role models supporting the project include Alison Hulme (Kiss FM DJ), Andrea
Duffy (Director of E-Media, Europe, Sony Music), and Shannon Ferguson
(Director of Media and Entertainment, Yahoo).
ITbeat aims to tackle the poor image of the IT profession as 'geeky' and uncreative.
Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, said: "I want to see more girls and women succeed in IT and other science and technology careers. An IT industry dominated by men is only using half the available talent and creativity. ITbeat represents an
innovative approach to engaging girls in IT at an early age. The British pop industry makes a huge contribution to the UK economy and also has huge influence on girls of this age.
"Let's not just leave it to the boys."
The focal point of the nationwide initiative is a competition for girls to design a website for their favourite pop star or pop act. Entrants are invited to visit www.itbeat.com where 'they will find all the relevant information on how to get started and how to build a working pop website.'
The short-list of 250 'budding website designers' will then take part in what is described as the world's largest sleepover, at the Science Museum in London in March 2003 where the teenagers will meet their favourite bands and mingle with celebrities.
Launching the event, the publicity for it claims: "Statistics from IDC show that IT spending in the UK will increase by £17bn by 2005, creating another 500,000 IT jobs. The current shortage of women pursuing IT as a career option means the UK's IT employers will lack the people it needs to be globally competitive. Consequently, the UK may lose its IT industry as companies take advantage of skilled workforces elsewhere."
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Susie Hughes
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