Jan 19, 2008

Media contact: Patty Wellborn
Office: 604-795-2819
or 604-504-7441, local 2819
patty.wellborn@ufv.ca

Cuter Computer challenge sets aim at female teens


While statistics show that social media like MySpace and Facebook are extremely popular with young women, the computer industry itself is still dominated by men.

In an effort to fix that disconnect, the University of the Fraser Valley is hosting Cuter Computer, an annual contest for female teens that demonstrates that the business end of a computer can also be fun.

”We hope, says UFV Computer Information Systems department head Ora Steyn, “that the event encourages young women to consider post-secondary courses in computing and an eventual career in the industry.”

The bottom line is we have very few females in our CIS program,” says Steyn. “The women we do have do extremely well, and our alumni have gone on to successful careers with organizations like IBM, Business Objects, and Corrections Canada, while others go on to grad school.”

Cuter Computer takes place Saturday, February 7, at UFV’s Abbotsford campus. The students work in teams of two to answer questions and solve problems. Steyn says it is hands-on and the students will have a chance to show off what they know, learn a little about computers, and enjoy a day of fun challenges.

“At least half of all computer users are female but only 10 to 15 per cent of computer science students are female,” adds Steyn. “It’s ironic because jobs in IT these days involve teamwork, great interpersonal skills, and tech skills. Employers say they hire for personality and they’ll train the right person for tech skills so females have great opportunities in industry.”

The industry is in need of workers who can design systems for all users, says Steyn. Statistics that show that more than 20,000 new computer science jobs are created each year, yet there are generally fewer than 7,000 math, computer science, and information systems graduates each year in Canada.

“We would like to show our young women what computers can do for them. The Cuter Computer Challenge is a fun way to engage young females in the field of computing science,” adds Steyn. “They'll work in teams to solve real-world problems and in doing so, can win cool prizes, possibly land a job shadow opportunity, meet interesting people, and have a lot of fun.”

Teams will also meet successful UFV CIS alumni, who can also explain the many job opportunities available in today’s computer industry. UFV’s Cuter Computer Challenge is geared towards girls between 13 and 17 years old. Each person on the winning team will receive a $100 gift card from Future Shop. There are similar prizes for second and third place teams.

UFV’s Cuter Computer Challenge takes place Saturday, February 7, from 9 am to 3 pm at UFV’s Abbotsford campus in room D223. Lunch is included. To find out more, contact Ora Steyn at 604-504-7441, local 4232 or visit www.ufv.ca/cutercomputer.

UFV offers one-, two-, and four-year programs of study in computing, including a Bachelor of Computer Information Systems degree. Apply now to begin your studies this September. To learn more about these programs, please visit www.ufv.ca/cis.

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