ChickTech Teams Up with Deloitte to Pilot IoT Workshops for High School Girls in U.S. Cities

Workshops are designed to inspire girls to unlock their passions for STEM-based careers

Portland, Ore. — October 17, 2018 — ChickTech, a national 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to retaining women in the technology workforce and increasing the number of women and girls pursuing technology-based careers, is collaborating with Deloitte to pilot an Internet of Things (IoT) workshop for high school girls in Chicago, San Francisco, New York City and Dallas. Students will be encouraged to test their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills in a hands-on environment to help them recognize their potential to become the next wave of tech leaders.

According to the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT), only 26 percent of professional computing occupations in the U.S. in 2017 were held by women, despite women comprising 57 percent of the professional workforce. The workshops being developed by ChickTech and Deloitte aim to shrink this technology gender gap by getting girls interested in tech careers early. Deloitte professionals will be leading the workshops where participants will be provided with an IoT kit to build, which uses electronics, software and WiFi connectivity to help them secure their personal spaces at home, such as a bedroom, and notify them in the event of a “breach” by parent or nosy sibling.

“We admire the work that ChickTech is doing to promote diversity in the technology industry and we’re proud to collaborate to shape a more inclusive environment,” said Robert Schmid, managing director, Deloitte Consulting LLP and chief IoT technologist, Deloitte Digital. “The workshop we’ve developed with ChickTech is a fun and engaging way for high school girls to ignite their passion for technology and build real-world skills in one of the most exciting and fastest-growing areas of tech: the IoT.”

The workshop is being piloted in four U.S. cities, with the potential to expand into other geographies. Dates and locations of the workshops include:

Chicago – October 20-21, 2018

New York City – December 2018

San Francisco – January 2019

Dallas – January 2019

“The support we’ve received from Deloitte in this collaboration is invaluable in our mission of creating the next generation of amazing women technologists,” said Janice Levenhagen-Seeley, founder and CEO of ChickTech. “This is an organization that understands, as we do, that the diverse perspectives women can bring to the table will push the technology industry to impressive new heights.”

Deloitte will be providing the kit materials for the four workshops. To register to participate in the Chicago workshop, please visit: https://chicago.chicktech.org/register/

To learn more about ChickTech and its various programs for women and girls, please visit: www.chicktech.org

About ChickTech

ChickTech is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to retaining women in the technology workforce and increasing the number of women and girls pursuing technology-based careers. With 27 chapters in the U.S. and Canada, ChickTech offers interactive and educational workshops, mentoring, and internship opportunities for high school girls who aspire to pursue technology careers. Additionally, ChickTech provides career events for women in technology fields to create a supportive community of professionals to network, grow their skills, and discover employers looking for exceptional talent. For more information, visit www.chicktech.org.

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About Deloitte

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world’s most admired brands, including more than 85 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 6,000 private and middle market companies. Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors to make an impact that matters — delivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthy society. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. 

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the “Deloitte” name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

Media Contact – ChickTech
Justin Ordman
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