What´s New at WITWA

Facebook Fan Page

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +1100

WITWA have started a Facebook Fan Page. Hop over and "Like" us!

woz live steve wozniak apple co-founder presents

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:09:21 +1000

New Brand, New Website

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +1100

WITWA is thrilled to announce they have a new brand and website with many thanks to Ryan Briggs for all his help.

Follow Us on Twitter

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +1100

You can find us on Twitter: @WITWA

WITWA Blazing "techtrails" to Regional Western Australia

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +1100

Women in Technology, WA (WITWA) launched their new techtrails initiative, a program designed to encourage youth in regional WA to consider careers in technology.

ThoughtWorks Partners with WITWA

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +1100

Thoughtworks has partnered with WITWA as part of their campaign to support women in technology. Thoughtworks generously sponsored the new WITWA website.

WIT pioneer recieves Order of Australia award

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +1100

Women in Technology pioneer, Sonja Bernhardt, has been inducted into the general (or non-military) division of the Order of Australia, one of only 29 awarded for work in IT and telecommunications.

National Council of Woman of WA - Science and Technology Bursary

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +1100

Nominations are called for the 2011 Science & Technology Bursary available to a female student studying a science or technology course in Western Australia at University level. Applications close on 28 February 2011.

Join the Global Technology Marathon 2011

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +1100

Women in Engineering and Technology Global Marathon 2011, 7th to 11th March 2011 - The Global Marathon becomes a place for connecting girls and women in engineering and technology who “meet” via live internet chats, telephone conversations, webcasts and live events over the course of six days. Presenters and participants can join in the experience in any of six general regions including North America, Mexico/Latin America, UK/Europe, India, Africa/Middle East, and China. The Marathon provides a platform for encouraging and educating young women about the exciting opportunities in the fields of engineering and technology. For more information go to: www.globalmarathon.net or check out the Global Marathon video on YouTube.

100th International Women's Day: Women still marking time in the boardroom

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +1100

Women on Boards - MEDIA RELEASE

Australian boards are not becoming more gender diverse and we run the risk of sidelining this critical issue in the hype surrounding the ASX200, a leading advocate and broker for women into board roles warned today.

Women on Boards used the occasion of the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day to remind people that women occupy fewer than 25 per cent of board roles on all but Government boards, and this is not trending upwards.

Launching its 2nd Boardroom Diversity Index, the only comprehensive publicly available index that tracks the performance of key sectors in our economy on gender diversity in the boardroom, Claire Braund, co-founder of Women on Boards, said it was easy to get carried away by the media hype surrounding the ASX.

“While ASX200 boards have increased directorship positions held by women by more than two percent in the past year, there is little or no movement in any other of the key sectors in our economy,” Ms Braund said.

“The 2nd Boardroom Diversity Index shows that some sectors, such as Credit Unions and Building Societies, have gone backwards in terms of the numbers of women and there has been little improvement in their processes around selection.”

“A lot of people and organisations have suddenly found religion on the ‘women on boards’ issue, but the reality is that we are still fiddling at the margins when it comes to significantly addressing the percentage of women on boards and committees.”

Government to introduce quotas

Ms Braund said Women on Boards is calling on Governments at all levels to follow the South Australian Government example and introduce mandatory gender quotas for all publicly funded boards and committees. This includes Cooperative Research Centres, Rural Research and Development Corporations and National Sporting Organisation, which are all heavily funded by taxpayers.

“Where public money is involved there is a clear case for boards to be more gender and skills diverse. This not only improves governance and performance, but increases Australia’s standing in the international community, where it is clearly not well regarded in this area.”

Everyone else on notice

ASX companies, in particular the 85 in the ASX200 who still do not have a woman on their board, as well as Superannuation Trustees, Credit Unions and Building Societies are all on notice that they need to significantly lift their game over the next year.

“We are all praising ASX200 companies, but they need to double the rate of appointment of women this year to achieve our target of 25 per cent by 2012,” Ms Braund said.

“This is really not a difficult task as there are plenty of experienced and qualified women who are ASX board ready – without additional training.”Ms Braund said.

"Women on Boards has the CVs of approximately 2,500 board ready women from its subscription base of 10,500, so here is a good starting point for any organisations not sure where to look," Ms Braund said.

Women on Boards has a free vacancy posting service for companies seeking to advertise to high quality female applicants and will conduct private searches on request.

Boardroom Diversity Index - http://www.womenonboards.org.au/pubs/bdi/2011/index.htm

WITWA & ASC-W present Cloud Computing: A Panel

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +1000

Cloud Computing - THE topic in computing today. Join WITWA and ACS-W to hear a panel of experts on the topic at Deloitte's on 30 June, 2011

Click here to go to Events Page.

Women on Boards: Gender Matters Conference

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +1000

Gender Matters Conference

28-29 April 2011
Sydney, NSW, Australia

How do Australian businesses improve gender diversity on their boards and across management and executive roles? And why does it matter?

Find out and be part of the action at the Women on Boards 'Gender Matter Conference', which will push the barriers and the boundaries on this high priority and very public issue.

Sessions include:

The value of role models
CEO Champions
Quotas and targets
The Chair's forum
Diverse directors making the ASX
Sector showcases in sport and financial services
Diversity: The difficulties and the divident
Making gender programs work

Updated program, speakers and registration
http://www.womenonboards.org.au/events/conference2011/

Inquiries: Call Louise on 02 4362 1333

Social Media and Privacy

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +1000

WITWA Committee Member Sarah Mitchell speaks at the ACS on SOCIAL MEDIA and PRIVACY

We often hear about technological ‘break-throughs’ and discoveries but rarely hear about a legal ‘breakthrough’ or innovation. This is because law by its nature is iterative and technology by its nature is innovative. This also means that technology law is generally a few steps behind the latest technological developments and is always playing catch-up.

The ACS is agnostic to social media. We neither love nor hate Facebook, Twitter or other forms of social media. Indeed, the ACS has a Facebook page and we regularly Tweet too. We see the valuable role social media plays in social and community inclusion (e.g. Queensland Floods). However, we also see issues and challenges that require leadership and discussion at a national level.

Speaker: Sarah Mitchel is a director of Global Copywriting. She has had a long career in ICT and is very passionate re Social Media and its implications.

Discussion open to members and non-members of the ACS. Click here to register. The same discussion will be held in Bunbury on the following evening. For more information, visit the ACS WA events page.

Venue:
The Celtic Club 48 Ord Street WEST PERTH WA 6005
Date:
Tuesday 19th April 2011
Time:
5:30PM

Event Prices (Inc GST)
Regular Fee:
Members:	$0.00
Non Members:	$10.00

Clayko Group Joins Women in Technology, WA as Corporate Sponsor

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +1000

Perth company wants more women in the technology sector

PERTH, Western Australia (7 April 2011) Formalising a long history of support, Women in Technology, WA (WITWA) is thrilled to announce Clayko Group has signed on as a corporate sponsor of the women’s technology group.

“We’ve had a close relationship with Clayko over the years. When we decided to take on corporate sponsorship to help fund our technology programs, Clayko immediately signed on,” says Marjolein Towler, Chair of WITWA.

WITWA launched their techtrails program last November. Designed as a technology outreach program for youth in remote and regional Western Australia, WITWA’s goal is to encourage girls and boys to consider careers in technology.

“Our whole industry is suffering due to the low uptake of technology careers at the tertiary level. WITWA has successfully run career showcases over the years but we weren’t reaching the regions. We’re doing that with techtrails,” says Towler. “With support from organisations like Clayko, we increase our ability to reach more students.”

John Dorrington, CEO of Clayko Group agrees. “One of the biggest challenges to my business is finding the right talent. With fewer and fewer people entering the technology industry, especially women, something has to be done. We currently have no women in technical roles which is a real problem throughout the industry.“

Lyn Beazley, Chief Scientist of WA is the patron of the techtrails program. Collaborating with Scitech to provide hands-on training, techtrails also introduces technology careers and career pathways to high-school aged children. A not-for-profit organisation, WITWA receives no funding from the government.

For more information about WITWA, their techtrails initiative, or how to become a corporate sponsor, visit the WITWA website at www.witwa.org.au.

About Clayko Group

Clayko Group specialises in Document Management, providing systems and services to Australian business and government. Founded in 1981 in Western Australia, Clayko enjoys the coveted Microsoft Gold Certified Partner status. With offices in Perth and Sydney, every aspect of document management is supplied from scanning of paper documents to fully hosted electronic document and records management. Each project is tailored to meet the diverse needs of the client community.

*Originally published at: http://www.prwire.com.au/permalink/22601/clayko-group-joins-women-in-technology-wa-as-corporate-sponsor

"Where are all the women in technology?" event

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +1000

The ACS is holding a breakfast panel discussion to discuss the shortage of women in technology.

This will be a Panel Discussion and should not be missed. This issue has always been a vexed question, and it is hoped that this event may throw some light on this matter. To Register got tohttp://www.starsevents.com.au/ACSW Cost: ACS Members $45.00; Non ACS Members $55.00; Tables of 8- $380.00. All prices include GST. Panel:

Facilitator – Sarah Knight

Sarah Knight is the Content Director for ABC Regional Radio in WA but she is probably best known as the former web-mistress for 720 ABC Perth, a post she held for the first five years of ABC Perth’s online presence. A former radio presenter, Sarah’s passions include blogging, bridge and live storytelling.

http://www.abc.net.au/profiles/content/s1855204.htm?site=perth

Panel members:

Linda Zeelie

AJP Programme and Regional Program Office Lead, Hewlett-Packard, Fellow of the ACS, member ACS-W national Board.

Linda heads up HP’s Asia Pacific Program and Project Management Office group with teams across the region and with responsibility for all program and project delivery. Linda joined HP in 2003 and has over 20 years of senior-level experience in project management, applications, consulting and quality management. Linda has a Masters degree in ICT, is an ACS Fellow and has numerous certifications, industry awards and industry association involvements. Linda has extensive experience with problem projects, working to review, restructure and bring them back on track. Linda’s day job involves working with clients, teams and leadership across the region to grow project management capability and to solve tricky problem projects.

Peter Nikoletatis

Peter Nikoletatos is currently the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Curtin University and has more than 25 years’ experience in the Information and Communication Technology industry in both Australia and overseas. Over the years, Peter has held several senior appointments including IT Manager for I-MED (Radiology), National Manager eBusiness for CSC (formerly BHP IT), and more recently the CIO at the University of Newcastle. Peter holds a fellowship with the Australian Institute of Project Managers, is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Australian Computer Society and the Australian Institute of Management.

Arnold Wong

Arnold Wong has held significant senior roles in ICT for leading companies and government agencies over the past 25 years. Throughout this time he has made a distinguished contribution to the advancement of professionalism in ICT through pioneering corporate social responsibility principles.

As Vice Chair of the ACS WA Branch, Arnold has been responsible for several WA Branch initiatives including the highly successful Green Waste Program WA, which collected and appropriately disposed of discarded and obsolete computing equipment. Arnold has been active in the national Green ICT Task Force and was also the founder of the WA Branch Green ICT Special Interest Group in 2006 which he continues to lead today.

Arnold was recently elected a fellow of the Australian Computer Society.

ICT Innovation Series - First Event

Mon, 09 May 2011 00:00:00 +1000

AIIA is pleased to host the first of five networking events in this series

Topic: Government Incentives

Date: Thursday 19th May 2011

Time: 5:30 to 8:30pm

Venue: The Innovation Centre - 9 DeLaeter Way, Bentley

Cost: Member rate - $45 inc GST (AIIA, ACS, WITWA, eGroup, IEEE)

Non Member Rate: - $60 inc GST

RSVP: Amanda - amanda@polishedevents.com or 08 9444 1111

Guest speakers on the night will include AusIndustry,Enterprise Connect and Commercialisation Australia. Enjoy a drink while discovering the best way to utilise Ferderal Government funding and incentives such as the R&D tax concession.

After the presentations there will be the opportunity to network with your fellow ICT industry peers as well as Government Representatives.

For more inormation please contact Amanda on 08 9444 1111 or amanda@polishedevents.com

This event is part of the AusInnovation festival - for more infomation please visit http://www.ausinnovation.org/

Business Agility in Action by IBM

Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 +1000

Seminar covering BPM, SOA and Application Integration

This event is brought to you by IBM and will offer practical information and advice on ways to align IT and
business strategies, optimise business processes, integrate applications
and improve decision making.
You’ll have the opportunity to:
• Benefit from a unique opportunity to see first hand our solutions
in action with over twenty live demonstrations from our team of
worldwide subject matter experts – you will also get to see how
IBM® WebSphere® software compares with its competitors.
• Take an exclusive look into the new IBM BPM capability revealed at
the Impact 2011 conference in Las Vegas in April – a solution that
combines the best of IBM BPM technologies into an agile, unified
platform.
• Hear the latest updates on Business Process Management,
Business Rules, Business Events, Connectivity, Application
Infrastructure and IBM Cloud technologies to improve the scalability,
performance and flexibility of your business processes.

Download Flyer

Brisbane

Friday 3rd June, 8:00am – 4:00pm
Hilton Brisbane, 190 Elizabeth Street

Perth

Friday 10th June, 8:00am – 4:00pm
Duxton Hotel, 1 St Georges Terrace

Auckland

Tuesday 14th June, 8:00am – 4:00pm
Hilton Auckland, Princes Wharf 147 Quay Street

Wellington

Thursday 16th June, 8:00am – 4:00pm
Intercontinental Wellington, 2 Grey Street

WITWA Sponsor Mentioned in CCO Magazine

Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 +1000

Thoughtworks, a WITWA sponsor, was recognised in Chief Content Officer Magazine for their innovative work attracting women into the technology sector.

ThoughtWorks offers Amazon Web Services Training Course - Melbourne & Sydney

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +1000

Sydney - Tuesday, 28 June, 2011 |Melbourne - Thursday, 30 June, 2011

ThoughtWorks is offering a one-day Amazon Web Services (AWS) training course in both Sydney and Melbourne for developers, systems administrators and all technologists who want to embark on a hands-on deep-dive of Amazon's powerful AWS tools. Developed in partnership with Amazon, the class will lead you through the AWS infrastructure services, and show you how to architect and deploy your applications “in the cloud”.

Reasons to attend

• Learn how Amazon EC2, S3, EBS, VPC, CloudFront and other services work together to form a scalable web architecture
• Gain hands-on experience provisioning machines, managing storage, caching content at network endpoints, and more
• Walk through migrating systems from internal infrastructure to Amazon
• Discover use cases, best practices, and tips to make cloud computing easier

Training information

• Hands-on training day - 8:30am-6:00pm - refreshments and lunch provided
• Basic Unix command line experience required. No previous AWS experience necessary
• Participants need to bring their own laptop to complete the course
• Price: $500 ex GST

Trainers

Andy Marks is the Market Technical Lead for Melbourne and Perth. He has worked for ThoughtWorks since 2002 as a developer, technical team lead and Agile coach.

Chris Bushell is a Senior Consultant, Trainer and Coach with ThoughtWorks. Chris has over ten years experience developing and architecting software for organisations of every size, from start-ups to large multinationals. Chris specialises in helping clients use cloud technology to achieve their business goals, lower costs and meet their customers needs.

Seats will be made available on a first come first serve basis, and we have a strictly limited number of attendees per session.

How to register
To register for the event, please click here

Best regards,
Natalie Drucker
Client Services Coordinator

Enterprise Connect innovation survey 2011

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +1000

EnterpriseConnect has partnered with Curtin University Business School to undertake a unique research project around innovation and collaboration as drivers in business in WA.

The first step is to ask you to please complete the survey by following the prompts below. Please forward this email on! We encourage others in your organisation and network to also participate. All responses are confidential and reporting will be based on grouped information only.

As a follow on you will be invited to attend a workshop in August where you will be provided with the results of the Region’s propensity to innovate study, and have the opportunity to be involved in an interactive workshop designed specifically forowners, directors and senior decision makers in business interested in “the how to” of innovation and collaboration.

This survey closes on Monday 13 June 2011. Your participation and time is much appreciated!

Involved in or supporting SMEs? Complete this important survey!

Need answers to some important issues such as...

How can I compete in a crowded market?

We’re always expected to do more for less.

My customers are ever more demanding in terms of quality, yet still want to drive down costs.

We can’t work any harder, so what else is left?

We can give them to you...

Here are two clues: Collaborate... Innovate...
This is all about the practical application of new ideas into something your customers value. In fast paced markets, small and medium-sized enterprises need to rethink traditional approaches and assumptions in the pursuit of new ideas on business growth. These issues are being addressed at the Fostering Regional Innovation Forum on August 24. But to make these answers specific, actionable and of real value to you (and we have that in mind)....

...we first need to ask a few Questions
You don’t have to be a big organisation to succeed with innovation: you simply need an open mind and the will to innovate.

A unique study has just been launched in WA, drawing on real experiences, international research and a focus on the ‘so what’s in it for SMEs?’ This is your opportunity to turn others’ views and opinions about what fuels innovation and collaboration into informed insights.

Make your views matter - with just 25 minutes of your time.

The aim of the research is to identify what industry perceives the key drivers for innovation to be and how relevant collaboration is to this process The first line of study highlights four very important questions:
1. Who participates in innovation and collaboration?
2. How is innovation and collaboration perceived?
3. What might be driving or blocking your ability to successfully innovate or collaborate?
4. What key areas will impact on an organisation’s ability to innovate or collaborate?

Why this matters

With your involvement and the participation of others like you we can provide you with some of the answers to help you look at what’s driving these factors so crucial to business success.

Who is conducting the research?

Curtin University in partnership with Enterprise Connect. Curtin is renowned for its innovative research and practical approach to business. Enterprise Connect provides support to Australian small and medium sized enterprises to develop the skills, tools and knowledge to improve their competitiveness and productivity and to maximise their growth potential.

What do I have to do?

Go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CGBS-InnovationSurvey and follow the prompts
to complete the survey.
Encourage others in your organisation and network to also participate. Forward this on!
All responses are confidential. Reporting is based on grouped information.

Where will the information go?

The purpose of the study is to highlight key areas for attention and to give you some answers.
To both guide and support decision makers we are making the study findings available to as wide an audience as possible. The Executive Summary will be available at Curtin Executive Education. Interested parties include:
> You!
> Participating individuals and organisations
> Federal, State & Local Government
> Industry Associations
> Key Suppliers within and to the Region

Highlights will also be showcased at the August 24, 2011 Forum: Fostering Regional Innovation “Connect, Collaborate, Innovate – GROW!” The Forum will focus on burning issues facing SMEs, with a great panel of industry speakers including Jane Garrett
(Managing Director, Global Composition), Paul Mahoney (Managing Director, Wood Group Training) and Terry Mader (CEO & Manager WA Electrical Vehicle Trial, CO2 Smart Pty Ltd), who have ventured down the innovation & collaboration pathway and who will be there to
share their stories. There will also be opportunities to build critical networks and discover tangible ‘how to’ tips.

Tell me more

For more on both the Research and the Forum
business.curtin.edu.au/executive-education or EnterpriseConnect.gov.au
Cynthia Gabriel, Curtin Executive Education
Phone: +618 9266 7137, Email: Cynthia.Gabriel@curtin.edu.au

Horizon Power joins forces with Women in Technology, WA

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +1000

Women in Technology, WA (WITWA) is thrilled to announce Horizon Power, a Western Australian energy company has signed on as a corporate sponsor. Attracted to WITWA’s dedication to bringing technology careers to students in regional and remote Western Australia, Horizon Power views the techtrails initiative as a program helping to build skills and deliver a positive legacy to the Pilbara community.

PERTH, Western Australia (10 June 2011) – A shared interest in working in regional and remote Western Australia has prompted Horizon Power (www.horizonpower.com.au) to become a corporate sponsor of Women in Technology, WA (WITWA).

“The mining boom is creating significant skills challenges for the energy sector at the same time it’s generating more jobs in the technology sector. We’re thrilled to have Horizon Power on board as a corporate sponsor since they work in the same geographic areas we’re targeting,” says Marjolein Towler, Chair of WITWA.

“Karratha is one of the first regions on our techtrails schedule,” says Towler. “Support from Horizon Power means we have the pleasure of partnering with a likeminded organisation interested in providing opportunities for children living in regional WA.”

James Deacon, General Manager of Knowledge & Technology at Horizon Power agrees. "The partnership between Horizon Power and Women in Technology, Western Australia is in the spirit of our company's commitment to deliver lasting value to the communities we serve. We expect this partnership to leave a positive legacy in the Pilbara community by helping to deliver educational and leadership benefits.”

Deacon continues, “Horizon Power is also focused on improving the quality of life of Aboriginal people and I believe this program will provide important encouragement and support to the leadership of Aboriginal communities in this region by demonstrating real opportunities available - in both Horizon Power and the technical industry as a whole.”

In collaboration with Scitech, techtrails operates as a school incursion providing hands-on training and counselling on career pathways. A not-for-profit organisation, WITWA receives no funding from the government.

For more information about WITWA, their techtrails initiative, or how to become a corporate sponsor, visit the WITWA website at www.witwa.org.au.

About Horizon Power

Horizon Power is the pre-eminent supplier of energy solutions to regional and remote Western Australia driven by a passion and ability to deliver safe, reliable and affordable services in the most challenging of environments. Horizon Power customers range from people living in remote, isolated communities with less than 100 people, to residents and small businesses in busy and regional towns, to major mining companies in the resource-rich Pilbara region.

About WITWA

WITWA is a Perth based, not-for-profit organisation working to promote and develop the technology industry in Western Australia. WITWA’s goal is to persuade young people of both sexes to consider technology as a stimulating and viable profession and support them in that pursuit. Additionally, WITWA provides a network and support for women in Australian business and in the technology sector. Membership is open to both women and men.

Nominations Open for 2011 WA Innovator of the Year Award

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +1000

Nominations close 1 July for the 2011 WA Innovator of the Year Awards.

The Awards Program, sponsored by KPMG, Woodside, iinet and Mitsubishi, is one of the most prestigious competitions for Western Australian innovators offering a total prize pool of $220, 000 cash and in kind support. This includes $100,000 (cash and in kind support) for the overall winner who will be named the 2011 Mitsubishi Corporation WA Innovator of the Year.

The program consists of two Award categories plus two Encouragement Awards.

MITSUBISHI CORPORATION AWARD CATEGORIES:

Start Up Category, for innovations at the pre‐revenue stage of commercialisation
Growth Category, for innovations at the post‐revenue stage of commercialisation

ENCOURAGEMENT AWARDS

The encouragement awards will be chosen from entries submitted to the two award categories, Start Up and Growth.

Woodside Oil and Gas Encouragement Award – this award is for entrants developing innovative technologies with application to the WA Oil and Gas industry.
iiNet Encouragement Award for Innovation in Superfast Broadband Applications – this award is for entrants undertaking innovative projects that will utilise superfast broadband infrastructure.

Please visit the website below for full entry requirements, terms and conditions.

If you have a new innovation with strong market potential nominate now for the 2011 WA Innovator of the Year Awards.

Nominations Close: 5pm, 1 July 2011

For more information please visit www.commerce.wa.gov.au/innovator or contact Polished Corporate Events on 08 9444 1111

YOUNG WEST AUSTRALIANS URGED TO TAKE PART IN NATIONAL SURVEY

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +1000

Mission Australia is urging all young West Australians to have their say in the charity's 2011 National Survey of Young Australians – the nation’s largest annual report on the views, concerns and values of young people between the ages of 11-24.

The survey closes on 1 July and Mission Australia's WA State Director Ross Kyrwood said it was vital that WA youth were well represented in the findings.

"Mission Australia's annual youth survey is a 'temperature check' on what young people are feeling, what issues concern them, what they think are the main challenges facing the nation and how optimistic they are about the future," Mr Kyrwood said.

"it gives young people a voice across a range of issues and the information is then used to help community groups and governments plan and develop youth services.

"Responses to the survey help governments, youth agencies and ourselves improve and develop programs and strategies that are shaped by the voices of young people themselves."

Last year's survey tested the views of more than 4,200 young West Australians (50,000 young people nationally – its biggest group since the survey began in 2002) between the ages of 11-24 (95.4 per cent aged 11-19).

When asked to rank their personal concerns from 15 issues body image was ranked most frequently in the top three by 28.9 per cent of WA respondents, followed by family conflict at 27.8 per cent and school or study problems at 26.9 per cent.

Body image as a concern increased with age. It was the leading issue for 15-19 year olds while 36.8 per cent of 20-24 year olds in the state considered it a major concern. It was also the chief worry for female West Australians.

"Young people’s concerns can be quite volatile – moving around from year to year – and they differ between age groups so it's important we conduct this survey annually, with as many participants as possible, to obtain an accurate picture.

"The range of concerns – from stress to depression, suicide and body image – also suggest young people are facing increased challenges as they make the transition from adolescence to adulthood," said Mr Kyrwood.

Mission Australia's 2011 National Survey of Young Australians can be completed online athttp://www.mayouthsurvey.com.au

It is also available at all Mission Australia services, secondary schools, TAFE facilities and libraries nationwide.

The survey closes on Friday, 1 July with the results to be published later in the year.

WITWA/ACS-W Cloud Computing Event

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +1000

written by Kim Wisniewski - find his blog at Kimputa

It was nice to be invited along to participate in a panel discussion on cloud computing at tonight’s special interest group put on jointly by ACS and WITWA, sponsored by IBM and hosted in the room with a view Deloitte boardroom. The event was driven by WITWA, Women-in-Technology-Western Australia. I’d never had any involvement with WITWA before this event, but can see they are doing great things to promote the industry. WITWA have embraced the issue of attracting young people into the industry, which is facing reduced numbers year to year. This was an issue close to home for me, as I’d spent 10 years in the education sector. It’s something my role as Technology Evangelist at Curtin University was designed to help address and promote to future students. Time to put the ‘cool’ back into IT.

I still have a vested interest in this, and spoke to one young imminent graduate who is looking for pathways, and plan on exploring the graduate programme within Empired, which they already had before my time, but I will see where the opportunities to further develop it are.

The turnout at this special interest group (SIG) was a sellout, about 75 people. Each panelist was asked to give a ten minute presentation followed by a group Q&A with the audience. Us panelists had a diverse range of jobs and backgrounds, including a lawyer, who made the comment of the night for me:

I’m not aware of any legal benefits associated with cloud computing.

I also liked his list of legal considerations for the cloud:

Unilateral termination policies
Vendor lock in
Exclusion of liability
Audit-ability

Which as he states are characteristics no different to any other type of outsourcing arrangement, but are raised to the forefront again with cloud computing.

Checkout the agenda and panelists here.

On a tech front, I also trialled SlideRocket to create and give the presentation “from the cloud”. It’s a great interface but Flash based, so device support is restricted. I’m sure VMware are working to change that and get it on iPad pretty soon. What appeals to me is the sharing and collaboration potential for teams using SlideRocket. It’s also liberating to be not using PowerPoint the old staple for a change. There was something appealing about the SlideRocket work-flow that enabled me to create the presentation very quickly and smoothly. Will I use it again? Maybe… The costing model is a bit annoying, when you get PowerPoint work pay for that. Might try some alternatives.

Here’s a link to my presentation. Slides only, maybe I’ll try capture the audio next time.

http://portal.sliderocket.com/ATHXQ/Did-You-Know

Overall there’s a common theme I was seeing in the audience. That cloud computing is by and large still misunderstood by many people, except those with experience within the ICT industry itself. The cloud is still something we in IT are self-obsessed with but still building meaning to customer groups. (I hate the phrase end-users…) These are the most important people right! That’s why the theme for the speakers to address was pertinent: “what does the cloud mean to you”?

But, slowly the message about it’s benefits and risks are getting out there through forums like WITWA, ACS and Cloud Camp.

Finally a reminder about Perth Cloud Camp 3 for July 22nd, 2011. Register here, it’s free! http://www.cloudcamp.org/perth/2011-07-22

ACS-Women's Group

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +1000

Date: Tuesday 9 August 2011
Time: 5.30pm to 7:30pm
Venue: Duxton Hotel, 1 St Georges Terrace, Perth
Speaker: Chamonix Terblanche
Subject: “Becoming a Leading Lady”
Cost: ACS Members Nil, Non Members $10.00

More Information: Please visit www.acs.org.au/wa

Registration: Please visit http://www.starsevents.com.au/ACSW
CP Hours: 3
As this is a catered event, registrations are required.

ACSWA BRANCH CONFERENCE 2011

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +1000

The Australian Computer Society (WA) invites all ICT Professionals and Business Leaders to attend the WA Branch Conference which will focus on the theme “Securing the future of ICT in WA.”

Date: Wednesday 7 September 2011

Time: 8.30am registration for 9.00am start

Venue: University Club at UWA

Speakers: The Hon John Day Minister for Planning, Culture and the Arts, Science and Innovation; Michael Malone CEO iiNet; Chris Roberts NBN Co; Sven Bluemmel WA Information Commissioner; Alan Patterson CE ACS and many more.....

Cost: ACS Members $148.00; Non Members $188.00; Full time students $88.00; All day parking available $12.00. Fees include GST.

Registration: go to www.starsevents.com.au/ACS

More Information: Go to www.acs.org.au/wa and click on Events.

Cost include Morning Tea, Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Networking Cocktails from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

Sponsors: Sponsors to date: Gold: Oracle Corporation.

Academic: Curtin University of Technology School of IS.

Andy Jenkins

State Manager - WA

Australian Computer Society

p: (+618) 9470 4878

f: (+618) 9470 4912

m: 0413 697 630

e: andy.jenkins@acs.org.au

s: PO Box 301 Victoria Park WA 6979

w: www.acs.org.au/wa

GENDER BALANCE TO BEAT SKILLS CRUNCH

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +1000

In the ensuing Q&A session, Conroy was asked about the skills crisis confronting the sector; one answer, he said, would be to bring a larger female work-force into the industry.

―This has been something that has held back… the sector. You go to any room of… engineers, and it‘s about 95% men. We‘re missing out on half the population coming into this sector,‖ he said. ―I know there‘s a number of programs that the Australian Computer Society run to try and encourage women… into this sector. There‘s a bit of a challenge – maybe it‘s those Dungeons and Dragons evenings that women didn‘t find that exciting! – but I think we have a real challenge across the entire sector to open that up, find out what those barriers have been that have kept women out of the profession.‖

―We need to collaborate with the sector, to get into schools — once [students] have gone to university, you‘ve almost lost the debate — so that women know that this is a fabulous sector, it‘s a worldwide sector, it has enormous opportunity in every way possible, and particularly with the connectivity that we‘re talk-ing about delivering, this is going to be cutting edge,‖ he continued. ―I think a lot of people lost faith [after] the tech bubble… but our fundamental problem is we‘re not getting half the population interested in this sector. It‘s just got to change, from the top down. I‘m very excited by the programs that are being run, but we can all collectively do more on that.‖

written by Petroc Wilton - Communications Today

KPMG Briefing: Your Guide to the new R&D Tax Credit legislation

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +1000

It is anticipated that the new R&D Tax Credit legislation will be passed by Parliament in late August, the biggest reform to business innovation support in Australia for more than a decade. It is expected this new legislation will take effect from 1 July 2011.

KPMG is pleased to invite you to a briefing with the Perth R&D team where we will examine the immediate impacts of the legislation on your business, and the long-term implications you should be considering as part of your forward planning.

The briefing will enable you to:

get a clear picture of the new regime
understand any challenges the new regime is likely to present
assess new opportunities available to your business.

Light refreshments and canapés will be served after the presentation.

RSVP

Please RSVP to Debby Charles on 08 9263 7198 by Monday 29 August 2011.

If you are interested in learning more about the proposed legislation but cannot make this date, please click here.

Stephen Carroll
Director, R&D Incentives & Grants - KPMG

Stephen Carroll
Director, R&D Incentives & Grants

Date
Tuesday 6 September 2011

Time
5:15pm for 5:30pm – 7:00pm

Venue
KPMG Perth
Level 8
235 St Georges Tce
Perth

RSVP now

Proof of Technology Event

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +1000

IBM WebSphere Message Broker V7.0

Join IBM for a one day complimentary session with examples, demonstrations and interactive hands-on product experience.

If you’d like more information on this event, please call IBM Australia on 1800 802 796.

Or register online now: https://www-950.ibm.com/events/wwe/grp/grp005.nsf/v16_enrollall?openform&seminar=299A46ES&locale=en_AU

Australian Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry invite you to take the Women in Business Poll.

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +1100

The AWCCI has now launched Australia's first national women in business research project. The poll is supported by the Australian and NSW Governments our Alliances, Sponsors, Partners and Associates; it will be Australia's first comprehensive survey of women in business.

The research project aims to hear from 30,000 women in business from around the country in order to better understand the challenges, rewards and opportunities of being in business.

The results will help the AWCCI represent women in business to government and industry, inform on better policies and programs and better support women whose businesses are based in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote communities. It only takes about 10 minutes, your input is greatly appreciated.

Go to www.awcci.org.au to complete the survey.

The Next Generation of Corporate Female Leaders

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +1100

Applications now open for 2012 program

About the program

The Next Generation of Female Corporate Leaders is a high level learning and development program for women aspiring to leadership roles.

The program was launched in 2011 with the aim of increasing the visibility of high potential women within their organisations and sectors; and providing them with the confidence and capacity to successfully engage with senior leadership and boards.

Thirty six women undertook the initial program which ran from March to September in Sydney NSW. Feedback from this program has informed the development of 2012 program which is more focussed on how women can:

Achieve an executive or ‘C Suite’ role
Gain a seat at the board table
Be successful and have impact once you are there

The program is hosted by Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Sydney and managed by Women on Boards with the support of experienced directors, executives and external expert presenters.

Aims

The program aims to provide participants with the following outcomes:

Increased visibility within their organisations, professions and sectors.
Capacity and confidence to engage with peers, senior management and boards.
Skills to become more impactful leaders

Key Elements

Being an authentic leader
Presence and visibility
Maximising potential
The dynamics of meetings
Understanding influence
Powerful conversations
Branding and presentation
Messaging and strategy
Building networks for the future
Getting ahead (syndicate exercise)

Three one-hour individual coaching sessions are available at an additional fee of $750.

Participant Numbers

The number of participants on the program will be limited to a maximum of 28. Participants will be grouped in syndicates of four or five based on seniority, profession and a 360-style profile. The syndicates will work on a project for the duration of the program and present it to a panel on the final day.

Program Benefits

Improve confidence, presence, visibility, resilience and sense of belonging.
Increase your chances of success when presenting to boards and senior leaders within your organisation or externally.
Become more effective as a leader in your workplace.
Develop an understanding of how to manage gender issues in your career.
Increase collegiality with decision makers and key company personnel
Know how to approach potential advocates, mentor and sponsors.
Challenge yourself.

Fees

$3,990 (inc GST) for six days including all course elements and networking events unless otherwise stated. To be paid in two instalments ($2,500 on 28 February 2012 and remainder on 15 July 2012.)
Travel and accommodation to be paid at own cost.

Key Dates 2012

27 January	Applications close. Selection process commences.
10 February	Applicants advised.
26 & 27 March	Session One
12 & 13 June	Session Two
5 & 6 September	Session Three

Claire Braund
0409 981 781

Clough focuses on women

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +1100

ENGINEERING and construction company Clough has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia Women in Resources Awards.

Clough is one of four companies to be selected for the outstanding company initiative award, to be presented at a breakfast in Perth on March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day.

Clough has been shortlisted for introducing generous maternity leave and flexible working conditions focused on output rather than hours to allow women to balance family and a career. Clough has also put in place executive mentoring and talent identification programs to boost the company’s female talent pipeline.

Along with a company award, 16 women have also been selected as finalists for the awards which recognise the outstanding contribution women make to the WA resources sector. “Apart from recognising individual excellence, the Women in Resources Awards promote positive role models in what is traditionally a male-dominated industry,” CME chief executive officer Reg Howard-Smith said.

According to research by CME, the number of women employed in the resources sector has grown from 18% to 22% of the total workforce in the past five years. The national female participation rate across all industries is 42%. “Perceptions are changing as more women recognise the benefits of a long-term career in mining, oil and gas and see the number of women progressing up the corporate ladder,” Howard-Smith said.

This year’s finalists include CEOs, engineers, electrical technicians, maintenance planners and schedulers. Woodside environmental engineer Katrina Bukauskas is one of the seven finalists for the Outstanding Young Professional Woman award.

From energynewsbulletin.net - 8/2/2012

Lift your game with training: Collier

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +1100

WESTERN Australian energy and training minister Peter Collier has taken a swipe at the resources sector, saying it must do more to increase training in an effort to combat the skills shortage.

Speaking at the Australasian Oil and Gas Conference in Perth yesterday, Collier said with around $267 billion worth of projects in the pipeline, the state faced a potential labour shortage of 76,000 workers by 2015.

“The recent Deloitte access economic investment monitor reported $267 billion worth of confirmed or potential projects in Western Australia,” he said.

“These are exciting times but we have to build the workforce and skills base needed to make the most of these opportunities.

“We can’t do this alone. We must do this with industry.”

According to Collier, there are around 92,000 workers directly involved in the mining and oil and gas industries. Of those 92,000 workers, 3950 workers or 4.2% are in training.

“That is one of the lowest participation rates in training in any industry set in the state,” he said.

“With all due respect, I think the mining and resource sector can do more in that space.”

The building and construction sector has just over 6% of workers in training, manufacturing has around 6.4%, automotive has about 8% and electrical has more than 7%.

“In comparative terms, the mining and oil industries or the resources sector in a whole, need to lift their game in terms of those people in training,” Collier said.

“Rather than coming to bang on my door and talk about working towards a more seamless approach to skilled migration … give a little bit of thought to whether or not you’re doing all that you can to possibly train within Western Australia for Western Australia, for your industry set.

“And I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”

Collier plans to work with the resources sector over the next few months to improve training in the industry.

“I’d like to think that within a very short space of time, the mining sector as a whole can be up there with the building and construction industries, with the manufacturing industries and at least 6 per cent of your workforce can be directly involved in training,” Collier said.

from EnergyNewsPremium.net by Marija Stojkovic

Woz Live: The Apple Story...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +1000

Woz Live: Steve Wozniak, Apple Co-founder presents...

The Apple Story - Disruptive Innovation, Inspiration & Entrepreneurial Wizardry

11 May 2012 Perth Convention Centre, PERTH

APPLE, THE WORLD'S MOST VALUABLE COMPANY, HAS TRANSFORMED THE WAY WE LIVE.

The late Steve Jobs' monumental legacy as a creative innovator has been justly acclaimed and admired by corporate chiefs and cultural historians worldwide. On MAY 11 you will have the unique opportunity to meet the engineering visionary who co-authored the Apple story to revolutionise industry and global communications in the 21st century. Hear first-hand from Woz on their fundamental business philosophy and Steve Jobs' legacy. You will learn:

How to integrate innovation and entrepreneurship into your organisational culture
Examples of creativity and the value of it and ways to bring it out
The importance of inspiration and striving for excellence in product and service design
Where the world is going with technology and the internet
What is good and bad use of technologies and user interface
The need for flexibility and versatility

For further information visit: www.stevewozniaklive.com

This is the very first time that Steve Wozniak has delivered a half day seminar on the Apple Story. This event is likely to sell out, so we advise to act quickly.

WITWA has secured special member rates until the event. PLEASE ENSURE that you use the applicable codes when booking online so that we can identify you as a WITWA member.

WITWA MEMBER RATE (INDIVIDUAL)	CORPORATE TABLE OF 10
$895 inc GST	$8500 inc GST
WITWA Booking Code: WA: 1-9 Places - C099, 10 or more places - H881
STANDARD RATE
$1095 inc GST	$10400 inc GST
Call conference secretariat AMCHAM: Robyn Baretincic on 08 9325 9540 or eventswa@amcham.com.au

Agile - FREE info Sessions 14 and 18 May

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +1000

These information sessions are FREE and open to anyone who is looking to move to Agile, or would like a better understanding of Agile.

The X-Pert Academy (Australia) in conjunction with its business partner DDLS (Dimension Data Learning Solutions) will be hosting these informative and dynamic sessions, with their international guest presenter ‘Dot Tudor – Director of TCC Limited,’ who has been awarded ‘Best Agile Coach / Mentor’ at the recent UK Agile Awards in 2011: “For driving Agile in a sensible end focused manner to various styles of project and organisations over the years. Dot has a ‘can do’ attitude, and practices what she preaches.”

Dot Tudor specialises in improving the way organisations manage projects and achieve successful business change. One of her current passions is the merging of industry best practice approaches with Agile. Dot is also an Agile Project Management Examiner at APMG-International and will be running the 4 day Agile Project Management Foundation and Practitioner Training course from Tuesday the 15th to Friday the 18^th May.

Our 60 minute information sessions are both FREE and open to all, please register below for your preferred session.
Session 1 - Monday 14^th May: 5.30pm registration for a 6pm start, scheduled end 7pm.
Nibbles and drinks provided.

Session 2 - Friday 18^th May: 7am registration for a 7.30am start, scheduled end 8.30am.
Light breakfast, tea and coffee provided.

Both sessions will be held at Seasons of Perth, 37 Pier Street, Perth.
Best Parking: Parking Available on Pier Street – Wilson or CPP

If you would like to discuss anything further, please contact:
X-Pert Academy (Australia): clinton@xpert-mbp.com.au or call on 08 6188 6404
or
DDLS Office: julianne.sparke@ddls.com.au or call on 08 9225 6022

29 May: CIO Symposium, Cloud Computing

Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 +1000

Join networking wa over lunch as Peter Carr, MD at Longhaus, explores the trend towards Cloud Computing.

Network with a select group of CIO’s and senior representatives in the technology industry for this unique and engaging event.

Time: 12.00 – 2.00pm

Date: Tuesday, 29th May 2012

Location: The Marque Hotel, 24 Mount Street Perth

MC James Lush, 720 ABC and owner of Lush TV

Details and registration info here >

Job Opportunity: Office Administrator – Part Time

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 +1000

Our friends at activIT systems are looking for a smart, energtic, and efficient person to fill a part time role, working from their office in Malaga, Western Australia.

This role has the official title of Office Administrator, however this role blends traditional office admin responsibilities with the ever-changing, and sometimes complex, world of Information Technology administration and management.

A successful candidate will have a fair understanding of IT and how computers work, be proficient with Microsoft Office software, and have a courteous phone and email manner. They will also have strong organisational skills and be willing to learn new skills. Experience with MYOB would be very beneficial.

Full details and how to apply here >