By Angela Dorizas

Public sector employees working to progress the role of women in ICT have been recognised for their achievements in the inaugural Women in ICT Awards.

The Australian Public Service (APS) and Dell Women in IT Executive Mentoring (WITEM) Women in ICT Awards were announced in Canberra on Thursday.

The awards were developed by the Federal Government’s Department of Finance and Deregulation and Dell Australia to recognise in recruiting, retaining and promoting female ICT talent within the APS and private and public sector organisations across Australia.

Winners were recognised for individual career achievements, including becoming the first female chief information officer (CIO) or department head.

Federal Minister for Finance and Deregulation Lindsay Tanner said the awards helped promote the advancement of women in the public sector’s ICT workforce.

“It is vital that a highly skilled, innovative and agile ICT workforce exists to meet the future ICT needs of the Australian Government,” Mr Tanner said.

“These awards are one of the Government’s initiatives designed to assist the development of that taskforce.”

The APS ICT workforce is currently 66 per cent male, with only 34 per cent female representation. The 2008/09 APS State of the Service Report indicated the total number of women in the workforce increased by 1.8 per cent, but there was still significant variation between the percentage of men and women in ICT roles.

Advocate for e-Government, Senator Kate Lundy said women had often been “forgotten or written out” of the history of ICT, pointing to the six women responsible for programming the world’s first programmable computer, the ENIAC, as an example.

“I am very proud to be part of this event recognising the achievements of Australian women in ICT, and I know that they, along with the many other women in the Australian ICT industry will continue to inspire us all,” Senator Lundy said.

Dell Australia managing director Joe Kremer said the aim of WITEM was to encourage female talent into leadership roles.

“WITEM is about progressing female talent and fostering environments where women can grow and thrive,” Mr Kremer said.

“We know it has made a difference to the more than one hundred mentees who have participated, with many of them furthering their careers beyond their expectations.”

PUBLIC SECTOR AWARD WINNERS AND FINALISTS

WITEM Leading Female ICT Professional
Finalist: Karin Geraghty, Director for Customer Service in the Land Services Group, Department  for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure, South Australian Government
Winner: Alaine King, CIO, The Treasury, Australian Government
Winner: Jan McConchie, Program Director for Parliamentary Reform and Service SA initiatives, South Australian Government

WITEM Leading Mentor
Finalist: Ginevra Wallace, Director, Office of the CIO, Information Management and Technology Group, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Australian Government
Finalist: Jim Barclay, CIO, Logan City Council
Finalist: Narelle Dotta, CIO, Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Australian Government
 
WITEM Agency/Organisation Leading the Advancement of Women in ICT
Finalist: Logan City Council
Winner: Office of Chief Information Officer, Department for Transport, Energy for Infrastructure, South Australian Government
 
Outstanding Contribution to WITEM
John Wadeson, CIO, Centrelink, Australian Government

APS Female ICT Professional of the Year
Finalist: Alaine King, CIO, The Treasury
Finalist: Jane Iglesias, A/G Assistant Secretary, Program Management Group (SES Band 1), Department of Immigration and Citizenship
Winner: Kim Finney, Manager (EL2), Australian Antarctic Data Centre, Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Environment Water Heritage and the Arts 
 
APS Mentor of the Year
Finalist: Francoise Cleret, Director, IT Security, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
Finalist: Narelle Dotta, CIO, Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Winner: Ginevra Wallace, Director, Office of the CIO, Information Management and Technology Group, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
 
Leading APS Agency for the Advancement of Women in ICT
Finalist: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Winner: Centrelink