Young girls to receive hands-on experience in technology

While many girls will be stuck in stuffy offices on Take a Girl Child to Work Day, 20 girl learners from Bokamo Secondary School in Tembisa will be given a hands-on opportunity to experiment with technology such as VOIP, transmission, wireless communications and cell enhancement.

The experience will be offered by leading technology company, Saab Grintek.

The company has been an active participant in Cell C's Take a Girl Child to Work Day since its inception. This year the company will play host to 50 girls from various backgrounds on 25 May. Saab Grintek will provide these future professionals with an opportunity to explore a number of technology-related professions within the Saab Grintek Group.

"Women are increasingly entering professions that were traditionally male dominated and did not attract female participation, mostly due to lack of information and support. Initiatives such as this are a great source of information gathering," says Mosa Lelaka, Head of Transformation at Saab Grintek.

"I believe that it exposes young women to an entire spectrum of careers of which they may not have been aware," added Lelaka.

In addition to the students selected by Cell C, Saab Grintek has also expanded the project by extending the invitation to its staff. All participants will be given access to the various disciplines practised at the company. These vary from telecommunications to defence electronic technologies.

Most importantly, the girls will be able to engage with women who are leaders in the chosen fields of expertise. Saab Grintek aims at making this a hands-on experience, not only learning about the various fields, but also experiencing them.

"It also provides the students with an opportunity to interact with highly skilled professional women who are active participants in the South African economy. It is important to have role models to assist young women to choose the right career path, and to physically illustrate that it can be done," says Lelaka.

Saab Grintek is a highly specialised and diverse company which has at the heart of its operational culture a desire to make a valued contribution to the future of South Africa and the southern Africa region.

"We are delighted to be a part of the Cell C Take a Girl Child to Work Day and are fully supportive of the concept. We are aiming at making this a highly successful and beneficial day for the learners visiting Saab Grintek, in the hope that we will contribute to a new era of female professionals," concluded Lelaka.