When you think about people working in computers, men tend to come to mind more than women. And in a typical Computer Information Systems class at UCFV, less than one third of the students are women.

But there are great career opportunities open in the Information Technology field, and the CIS department at UCFV wants to make sure girls and women are aware of them.

The department is hosting IT Works for Women, a free morning conference on women in the field of information technology, on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 , at the Abbotsford campus.

“Women have an important role to play in the IT industry,” says Ora Steyn, a Computer Information Systems professor at UCFV. “They tend to move through the ranks quickly and land in management positions. Women have specialized skills, such as strong interpersonal skills and the ability to multitask. Our female graduates have excelled in the industry.”

Two of those graduates, along with a third speaker currently working in IT, will talk about their jobs at the event. Nicolle Bourget is a project manager for Telus Enterprise Solutions; Susanne Razenberg is a senior systems analyst for Telus Multimedia Solutions; and Virginia Brooke is a network support analyst for Abbotsford City Police. Razenberg and Brooke are graduates of UCFV’s CIS program.

The event will also feature a presentation by Rob Mitchell, who coordinates cooperative education job placements for UCFV CIS students, and current students Catherine Kashmark and Daleth Hildebrand. People who attend will also have the opportunity to tour the UCFV Abbotsford campus.

“We really hope that girls and women will come to this conference with an open mind and find out more about a field that really does hold a lot of opportunities for them,” says Steyn.   

UCFV offers both four-year degrees and two-year diplomas in Computer Information Systems. The programs offer a cooperative education option, which allows students to combine studies with paid work terms in their field of study.

For more information, call 604-854-4589, or email steyno@ucfv.ca