Upcoming Civil Engineering Industry talk - National Association of Women in Construction - 20 May

Calling all students and young professionals studying or working in civil engineering fields for a FREE evening of professional talks from the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) on 20 May.

Read more below: http://www.nawic.com.au/index.cfm?MenuID=4&CFID=2525253&CFTOKEN=78945939&EventID=439

BIG Day In - Industry Event for UTS Technology Students- Tuesday 7 May

Attention all UTS students studying a technology related degree, including research students. Are you seeking employment to compliment your studies? Or will you soon be seeking that industry role after years of investing in your education?

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) Foundation, understands that so few students know what roles and opportunities are available to them in IT, which is why the UTS IT student society created the Big Day In IT careers conference to be held at UTS on Tuesday 7 May.

First run at UTS in 2012 and attracting a massive 220 attendees, Big Day In is an IT careers conference with a difference – it’s organised, run and hosted by students, for students. The ACS Foundation facilitates leading speakers from companies such as Microsoft, Coca Cola, IBM, Westpac and WiseTech Global t o speak about the future of technology and how students can get involved in shaping the future.

We have observed there is a gap in delivering IT career info to students and believe the BEST way for them to get this information is to hear from people with unbeatable “been there, done that” experience. We believe in students and that they are ready to hear the difference between success and mediocrity. This is why we are throwing out the textbooks and are bringing phenomenal speakers from leading industry innovators to University Hall at UTS to talk about their career and how they got there.

As a result of the success of the previous Big Day In, we’re excited to announce that in 2013 we’re holding separate High School and University student conferences. The University Student exclusive Big Day In for 2013 will be held on 7 May at the Aerial Function Centre, UTS.

We would like to invite you to participate in this incredible opportunity to help build the movement of students who care about their careers and are taking action to get ahead now.

Visit the website now at www.thebigdayin.com.au and pick up your ticket for only $10.

Lunch and snacks will be supplied on the day so just bring yourselves along and find out what ICT could mean for you. 
 
Date: Tuesday 7 May 2013
Time: 9:00am-4:30pm (attend as you wish)
Location: Aerial Function Centre, Level 7 - Building 10, UTS Broadway Campus
Register: http://www.acs.org.au/networking-and-events/events/upcoming-events/event-details?eveID=30259625226819  

Best Regards,

Krystle Ng

2013 President IT Student Society

Scholarships Available - Anita Borg Institute - Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) of Women in Computing, October 2 - 5, 2013

On behalf of the Anita Borg Institute and the Association for Computing Machinery, I would like to invite University of Technology, Sydney - Women in Engineering & IT students and staff to participate in the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC), October 2 - 5, 2013 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minnesota, USA.

GHC is the world’s largest gathering of technical women in computing.  Technical women gather to network, find or be mentors, create collaborative proposals, and increase the visibility of women’s contributions to computing. We are expecting over 4,000 attendees this year. Here are some ways you, other faculty, and students can participate in GHC:

GHC Scholarships for Students and Faculty – Application Deadline: May 15^th

Undergraduate, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows from around the world are encouraged to apply. The GHC Scholarships for students cover a combination of conference registration, meals, lodging, and fixed amount of travel reimbursement funds. Faculty, at all levels, are also encouraged to apply. The GHC Scholarship for faculty covers conference registration only.

‘ABI’ Awards given at GHC – Nomination Deadline: May 15^th

Nominate a colleague for one of the awards given at GHC:

·       ‘ABI’ Award for Social Impact

·       ‘ABI’ Award for Technical Leadership

·       ‘ABI’ Denice Denton Emerging Leader Award

·       ‘ABI’ A. Richard Newton Educator Award

·       ‘ABI’ Change Agent Awards

Please let me know if you have any questions about the conference or these opportunities to participate.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Kindest regards,

Tina

Tina Pratt

Program Manager, Academic Initiatives and New Program Development

Anita Borg Institute 

+ 1 - 650.857.2419 OFFICE

tinap@anitaborg.org

www.anitaborg.org | www.gracehopper.org

Alternative Funding Opportunities
Please note: UTS students can apply for BUiLD grants (undergraduate and postgraduates) from UTS:International and Faculty researchers can apply for FEIT conference funding to present at these conferences.

Getting Hands on with STEM

198 female high school students from 30 schools around NSW and the ACT gathered at the University of Technology, Sydney for the 2013 bi-annual Women in Engineering and IT Hands On Day on Friday 5 April. The day consisted of  interactive activities which encourage 13-18-year-old female high school students to consider engineering and IT as a career option.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities included:

• simulating earthquakes and learning about the power of amplitudes and frequencies with UTS’s remote lab
• the chance to learn the basics of Javascript, one of the world’s most common programming languages
• using magnets, batteries and wires to make an artificial heart and
• discovering how robots can be used to save lives following natural disasters
• careers talks from various UTS Alumni including Daphne Chong, Senior Software developer at Mi9.

Thanks to UTS’s strong links engaging with industry the day also featured representatives from Engineers without Borders, UTS Motorsports, UTS Centre for Health Technologies, ARC Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Systems, Commonwealth Bank, Microsoft, Tech Girls are Chic- Not Just Geek, Females in  IT and Telecommunications(FITT) and Symantec; as well as staff and student societies from the Faculty of Engineering and IT.

The Faculty’s Equity & Outreach Coordinator Laura Waibel said events like Hands On Day are important in convincing high school girls of the long-term societal benefits of studying and working in IT and Engineering.

‘’These industries are extremely important in shaping a sustainable and technology-driven future and women are currently underrepresented in both engineering and IT. We're hoping to change that one female high school student at a time because individuals regardless of gender and society as a whole stands to benefit from increased female participation in engineering and IT,’’ said Ms Waibel whose team were impressed by the energy of students at Hands On Day – particularly those who woke early to make the journey from Newcastle and the far south coast.

The next Hands On Day takes place on 6 August. Places fill up quickly so teachers are encouraged to book places early. Parents are encouraged to register their daughters to attend if schools are not able to allow an excursion.

Launch of the UTS Research Equity Initiative - Wed 10 April

[ATTN: Industry Professionals, UTS Alumni, Higher Degree Research Students and Bachelor students with an interest in pursuing a Research or Academic Career!]
 
Professor Attila Brungs, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, invites you to celebrate the launch of the UTS Research Equity Initiative. 

The UTS Research Equity Initiative, which aims to support researchers with carer responsibilities and to promote gender equity in research at UTS.
Current Higher Degree Research women within the Faculty and senior Bachelor-level students are warmly encouraged to attend.

Guest speaker, Dr Cathy Foley, Chief of the CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering Division and 2013 NSW Woman of the Year, will explore: Research, Families & Careers: can we have it all?

Dr Foley will speak to this topic from her own experience as one of Australia's foremost scientists and mother of two, and will look at what organisations can do to make a positive difference for staff with family responsibilities who wish to pursue their passion for their work, as well as their passion for life.

Dr Ann Reich, a recipient of the new Childcare and Carers Fund (Conference Attendance), which is one of the new programs under the Research Equity Initiative, will speak about the Fund and its impact from her perspective as a UTS Early Career Researcher.

Date: Wednesday 10 April, 2013
Time: 4pm to 6pm
Where: Tower building, level 5, Balcony Room
RSVP: Events@uts.edu.au

Please share this fantastic event with your peers including male researchers and colleagues who have carer responsibilities.

7 Myths about Women & Work

This is a great presentation by longtime Australian Financial Review columnist and author Catherine Fox about what she has identified in her recent book as 'seven myths about women and work'.  She is motivated to gather evidence relating to women's participation and experience in the workforce to better inform public debate and policy, and her discussion is informative - and entertaining!

It was first presented at a Women in Leadership breakfast at Macquarie Uni, and was broadcast on Life Matters on Radio National on April 1, 2013.  It's introduced by show host Natasha Mitchell - who was a former staff member at the Women in Engineering & IT Program at UTS.

Women in BOC Networking Event

On 14 March, BOC, a leading global gases and engineering company, and Chandler McLeod, a large provider of human resources solutions, hosted a Women working with BOC networking event.

The event was a great opportunity to network with women from BOC and Chandler McLeod as well as a number of women students pursuing a career in engineering, IT and other sectors. The highlight of the evening was a discussion panel with three successful BOC managers. These women shared their experiences in the company in terms of engagement, career opportunities, mentoring, working conditions, parental leave and flexible working arrangements.

One of the speakers was a young manager - Kate. Kate has secured a position at BOC after completing the BOC Graduate Development Program. Kate shared her passion for the industry and how she has seen real possibilities for women to move up in an industry traditionally dominated by men. She said that she was reading a BOC magazine featuring top managers in the company and realised they were all men. She then turned to the Master of Ceremonies and said: “I would like to change that”.

I was impressed by the structure of BOC‘s graduate development program, where this year, a large number of participants are women. Each graduate is assigned a mentor from BOC who helps with the learning experience and with any difficulty arising. The mentor also discusses topics like career paths with the graduate.

BOC seems to be genuinely interested in supporting women in engineering and IT so I suggest its worth checking out their graduate program!

By Maritza Messina, Industry Liaison Manager, Industry Partnering Unit, FEIT

International Women's Day Launch - Cocktail Evening

Engineers Australia - Women in Engineering Sydney Division celebrated International Women’s Day on Thursday 7 March 2013. Engineers Australia invited members and guests for a Cocktail Evening at the Shelbourne Hotel. The night kicked off with some inspiring speakers, mother and daughter team of Dr Catherine Killen; UTS academic in the field of innovation engineering, and Annabel Killen who both spoke about their personal journeys and experiences working in the field of engineering. 

Dr Catherine Killen provided great insight into her motivations which lead her to become a mechanical engineer and followed on by conveying her experiences on being the only female engineer at that time within the firm she was employed at. Annabel Killen spoke of her experiences as a Roads and Maritime Services (formerly RTA) scholar and then about her experiences of working at Evans and Peck consultancy. The evening was a great success, with students and professionals participating in the International Women’s Day celebrations and gaining valuable insight into the real experiences of women initiating change in the engineering profession.

This particular event was inspiring as I am a young engineering student myself. Coming from a background where engineering as a profession was not considered, in family and schooling to being in a room full of 50 or so women who have gone on to achieve amazing and exciting endeavours, was a truly invaluable experience. Being the youngest attendee, I met many current university students and many graduates who had secured astonishing graduate programs in their field. Throughout the night, I met inspirational women from all walks of life and those who had held reputable positions. Listening to the speeches of Dr Catherine Killen and Annabel Killen, it was inspiring to see the change of "women in engineering" from one generation to the next. It made me realise how significant this change was, right now, and that I am a part of this transition. Speaking with Dr Catherine Killen and about her background, I had realised that we were very similar, despite the generation gap, and I hope to go on to achieve an astonishing career. 

The night went on with a warm buzz amongst the general chatter and delish food. It was unfortunate that the night ended too quickly. Meeting inspirational women from various fields of engineering and who have achieved remarkable success, in a time where society and their gender outnumbers them. The main lesson I had learned from the cocktail event was to not be afraid to put yourself out there amongst strangers. You have nothing to lose and the only person holding you back is yourself! Network as much as you can to those who share your passion for engineering. Meet with people from all walks of life and you never know where it can take you. 

As reported by Harshaa Raha, 2012 Sydney Wie Division Scholar and Civil/Environmental Engineering student at the University of Technology, Sydney and Elizabeth Si, 2011 UTS Women in Engineering Scholar and Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Technology, Sydney

UTSpeaks - Women at the Summit Event

You can now view this event at
http://newsroom.uts.edu.au/events/2013/03/women-at-the-summit

Will Australia deliver on women in leadership?

When will we see equal opportunity for women to lead in business and the community? World-wide there is growing pressure for increasing the participation of women in leadership.
Seven countries have now adopted mandatory regulation to ensure greater participation of women at company board level. Will Australia's voluntary approach match this international progress?

Featuring influential and insightful panellists, this provocative Q&A forum will explore the issue of women participating at the highest levels of endeavour and leadership. Be sure to add your voice to a debate that will ultimately determine when women finally break through the glass ceiling.

Introduced by Professor Thomas Clarke & Alice Klettner, UTS Centre for Corporate Governance and lead researchers for the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s 2012 Australian Census of Women in Leadership.

Moderated by Deborah Cameron
Broadcast journalist, community relations specialist and facilitator, Deb Cameron is inspired by the cause of growing women in leadership.

Panellists:
Claire Braund, Executive Director of Women on Boards
Elizabeth Bryan, Chairman, Caltex Australia Ltd
Verity Firth, Chief Executive Officer, Public Education Foundation Ltd
Judith Fox, Policy Director, Chartered Secretaries Australia
Christine Holgate, CEO & Managing Director, BLACKMORES

Date: Wednesday 6 March, 2013
UTSPEAKS: is a free public lecture series presented by UTS experts discussing a range of important issues confronting contemporary Australia, proudly supported by the UTS Union

Never Be Afraid to Negotiate a Reasonable Remuneration Arrangement

As a senior female engineering student in Sydney, I have noticed many of my peers having trouble finding an engineering internship to fulfill their graduate requirements or simply to gain extra industrial experience. The accepting truth that an internship would greatly benefit the many decision-making moments in our developing engineering career has given raise to some exploiting opportunities towards students from unlawful employers. In light of this, Fair Work Australia has put down tighter regulations on preventing such incidences occurring.

This is my story on why and how to stand up for myself, as a student seeking an engineering internship with fair pay.

I was approached by two companies, A and B, both state owned entities, near the end of the Spring semester to work in the rural area over the coming summer. The first, A, called me in for an interview and was happy with providing a reasonable relocation fee if I got the offer. I was in the top few to be selected but sadly, since another candidate lived closer, he or she was chosen instead. Still, the refreshing and daunting experience of being interviewed and assessed was again reminded.

Disappointed from trying very hard in preparation for company A's interview, I received a call afterwards from company B. At first, I was too excited and agreed to my interests in working for them. This proved to be a mistake as in the proceeding emails and phone calls, the position was of a work experience nature and would not be paid, and also with no relocation fee except work insurance and PPE. I was naturally in disbelief that a state owned entity would do something like that since it is of a very strong contrast to how I was treated at another state owned entity, Company C, in last year's internship. I thought they were mistaken and subsequently made enquiries to the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia (APESMA), the university's legal services, Fair Work Ombudsman and NSW Work Cover. The solicitor from APESMA also linked me to this useful page on the Fair Work Australia website: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/resources/fact-sheets/employer-obligations/Pages/internships-vocational-placements-and-unpaid-work.aspx#work-experience-internships

Given the research and support from qualified solicitors and myself, I was able to realize my rights and my obligations. In a nutshell, the company must pay me over work I produced that injects productivity into the company. If it is just minor tasks or observatory in nature, then they don't. They don't have to pay either if its a course requirement I believe but in this case, it's not a course requirement since my experience at company C has already qualified for that.

I emailed Company B my situation and concerns with their arrangement and they agreed to keep in touch and see what can be addressed that would improve it. A month worth of negotiations later, Company B agreed to pay me under a fixed contract condition and I was able to sustain myself reasonably well throughout the internship.

Despite this 'roller coaster ride', I learnt a lot from this event and I've made a mental reminder to find out where to locate similar bodies and information when I'm working abroad.

Memoirs from a Mechatronics Engineering and Business Finance undergraduate student, as well as a Robotics fanatic :)
University of Technology, Sydney

Women in Engineering Equity Scholarship

It's that time of year again! Scholarship applications are open once more. There are so many opportunities available for female students who want to study or are currently studying engineering and IT. The Women in Engineering Equity Scholarship is one such opportunity, designed for future female engineering students who need financial assistance throughout the duration of their degree.
To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be female
- be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- be enrolled full-time (or part time under exceptional circumstances)
- have an ATAR of at least 80, or equivalent (so it's open to non-school leavers as well)
- demonstrate financial need

For more information on how to apply, click here.
Don't forget to check the UTS scholarships page regularly for updates and for application information!

Women in Tech

This infographic can be found at: http://www.mbaonline.com/women-in-tech/

SWIEIT Speakers’ Visit – Ascham Girls High School, 25 October

The SWIEIT Speakers team of Parinaz Bilimoria (BBus/BScIT) and Santi Botross (BEngDipEngPrac- civil/environmental) visited Ascham Girls High School in Edgecliff to speak to the Year 11 cohort about Engineering and IT at UTS. These two female speakers from Engineering and IT shared stories about their curiosity for these fields from a young age, as well as their ongoing interests throughout their university studies.

Parinaz gave an insight into her life as an IT student at UTS, sharing with the girls her exciting personal experiences of studying and working in the field of information technology, including a stint at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch and Tourism Australia. Santi demonstrated to the students how everyone has been a part of the engineering and IT world by doing a kinaesthetic activity with the students to give students a broader perspective about these fields.

The Year 11 students at Ascham Girls High finished up the session with many intriguing questions for the speakers and some good laughs. The SWIEIT Speakers team would like to extend a big thank you to Ascham Girls High School for hosting a visit. We hope to see you again in 2013.

Best Foot Forward Career Skills Workshop with CBA: Interviews

Thanks to all participants who took part in the Best Foot Forward Careers Workshop on Thursday 25 October. The workshop was the second of a three part workshop series, organised by the Women in Engineering and IT Program and facilitated by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA). Elise Ianno has been running these workshops to help give UTS women an edge when applying for jobs and internships. Elise is the Manager of CBA Graduate Recruitment Programs, so we were very lucky to have the benefit of her wealth of experience in the job application process.
This second workshop revolved around interviews, and we were given many useful hints and tips about how best to present ourselves in interview situations. Some of this advice included:

·         Dress appropriately for the occasion

·         Be prepared to give examples of your experiences in dealing with difficult situations. This includes situations that ended negatively as well as positively; so long as you demonstrate your thought process and what you learnt. This is an opportunity to talk about your extra curricular activities as well, so don’t limit your examples to work experience and university projects.

·         Be professional, always sit up straight and make eye contact. Don’t look around the room or ask personal questions, it’s inappropriate.

·         The organisation is interviewing you to see if you're right for the job, but you should also be interviewing them to see if the job is right for you.

·         ALWAYS ask questions! If you’re stuck for questions, ask the interviewer what attracted them to the organisation. This might give you an idea of what the working environment will be like.

After Elise’s presentation, students all had the opportunity to participate in a mock interview. Feedback from the interviews was mostly positive, with everyone acting on Elise’s advice. One pointer that everyone received was to give more detail when providing examples and not to rush your answers. 
The third workshop will be held in early 2013, so keep your eyes posted for event details and updates!

Lucy Mentoring Program Graduation

On Tuesday 16 October, UTS Broadway campus played host to the final function of the Lucy Mentoring Program for 2012. The Program, originally an initiative of the NSW Government Office for Women's policy almost ten years ago, has been coordinated by the Faculty of Engineering and IT since 2010. This year from May until October over 40 female Engineering and IT students were paired with professional women from 23 different organisations within the public and private sector. Students spent 35 hours in an industry workplace, learning about career dynamics, how to balance work with family and other factors, as well as how to apply the theory being learned every day within the halls of University. The students' presented their insights based on their experience to an audience consisting of Mentors, Industry Guests and senior Faculty staff as well as colleagues from the UTS Equity & Diversity Unit. Guest Speaker on the evening was Sharon Dickson, Honorary Secretary from the Australian Computer Society's NSW Branch Executive Committee, who kindly sponsored the evening emphasizing their ongoing commitment to diversity within the Australian ICT industry.


Please see a final Program from the evening below. 

   
UTS Women in Engineering & IT Program, a division of the Faculty's External Engagement Portfolio, is grateful for the ongoing contribution of our industry Mentor's in supporting and developing young women studying technical degree programs. We are thankful for your advice providing insight, career awareness and friendship and we look forward to keeping in touch.