Future cannot exclude women, says Davis

THE skilled workforce of the future cannot afford to exclude women and girls, according to Australian High Commissioner Bruce Davis.
When celebrating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science yesterday, Davis said the skilled workforce in PNG would lose about 50 per cent of the potential workforce if women and girls were excluded.
“A great example of women leading in Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is that of the Port Moresby-based 2018 Westpac Outstanding Women Awards Young Achiever, Crystal Kewe,” Davis said.
Kewe co-founded her own software development company at 15 and continued as a pioneer of Papua New Guinea women in ICT.
“These are the very women in Stem that the PNG-Australia partnership nurtures and develops,” Davis said. “I know the Government of Papua New Guinea is also committed to Stem education.
“This commitment is evident in the National Information and Communications Technology Authority’s (Nicta) push for more women to be trained and employed in ICT sector.
“The Nicta Girls in ICT tertiary scholarship is one of several GoPNG initiatives that encourages young women to develop skills and build careers in the fields of engineering, computer science and ICT.
“The installation of the Coral Sea cable system, supported by Australia, is another major development in this sector.
“The project will bring greater connectivity and improved communications infrastructure to PNG and the potential for exponential economic growth.
“The Coral Sea cable system will open opportunities for skilled Stem workers to engage in a wider range of possibilities in an expanding, modernising economy.
“The Australian government is eager for more collaboration with PNG to create more opportunities for women in Stem.
“Australia has already begun implementing innovations in Stem-based learning as part of its standard curriculum and hopes to support PNG’s move towards a similar goal.”