Iress supports female tech skills training with scholarship offers

Iress has inked a deal with workforce training program provider, Academy Xi, to offer four scholarships to women looking to develop or enhance their skills for a successful career in the technology industry.

The Iress Scholarship will subsidise the fee of a relevant technology, design or business course part of Academy Xi’s curriculum, which work to build skills in UX and UI, graphic design, data analytics, software engineering and cyber security.

“We firmly believe that gender diversity is key to driving innovation in our industry. An equitable workplace enhances problem solving and smarter decision making, yet we know that today women make up less than 30% of the STEM workforce in Australia,” Chief Corporate Affairs & Marketing Officer at Iress, Kelly Fisk, said

“Supporting women with upskilling in technology-related courses increases the talent pipeline; delivering real benefits for both the technology industry and the broader community as a whole.”

The courses are completed online and are reinforced by one-on-one mentoring, group projects and live video sessions.

“Our digital skills programs are designed to empower students to succeed in an ever-growing digital world. We’re proud to partner with Iress to help build and nurture women in technology and help create an equitable workforce in APAC,” Academy Xi’s Chief Operating Officer, Cyril Gabriel, said.

Applications are open until 21 July, with the first recipients to commence on 5 August. One scholarship will be awarded to a recipient based in Singapore, while one of three remaining scholarships for Australia will be given to a candidate who identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.