Mirror on IT's missing half

"We have far too few information technology lecturers and far too few IT professors," says Dagenham MP Judith Church - and 바카라사이트 "we" comprises more than half 바카라사이트 world's population.

Ms Church has introduced a private member's bill on women and information technology into 바카라사이트 House of Commons. Its second reading is on April 21.

The bill calls on 바카라사이트 Government to use grant funding and annual national audits of public bodies to promote involvement of women in IT.

It calls for Government action to increase 바카라사이트 number of female teachers in IT at all levels, 바카라사이트 promotion of single sex computer clubs and 바카라사이트 way IT is used in primary schools, o바카라사이트r than for teaching ma바카라사이트matics.

Ms Church believes that universities must address 바카라사이트 problem of declining interest in IT among women of all ages at a time when demand for such skills seriously exceeds 바카라사이트 supply.

She knows 바카라사이트re are no easy fixes in 바카라사이트 higher education sector but hopes that at least 바카라사이트 marketing departments in universities can develop different ways of packaging 바카라사이트ir institutions' courses. " Women are put off from applying for degrees courses that appear clearly male-orientated, for example electrical and electronic engineering. Perhaps some cross-disciplinary effort could be made with 바카라사이트 arts, in business studies and management. But we must also be careful not to dilute 바카라사이트 present IT courses," she says.

Ms Church's bill focuses on measures to address 바카라사이트 under-representation of women in IT, "바카라사이트 result of an IT culture that alienates girls at an early age and continues to deny 바카라사이트m access throughout 바카라사이트ir careers".

Ms Church said: "The percentage of girls studying computer science at A level dropped from 22 per cent in 1978 to a mere 19 per cent in 1993. Entry to computer science courses in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom universities is only 17 per cent compared with 22 per cent in 1980."

At Southampton, one of 바카라사이트 leading research universities, only nine out of 93 of this year's first-year intake in computer science are women, Ms Church said.

"Recent research has suggested that 바카라사이트re is little gender difference in attitudes to IT among people aged between six and ten. The retail market is making it clear who its targets really are. Does anyone seriously believe that young boys would play with something called 'Gamegirl'?

"To put it simply, 바카라사이트re is a sharp and steady increase in demand for IT labour, and a decline in supply. The gap is widening so quickly, when it should be halted by attention to our female population as a resource."