Surely, the buzzword these days for top IT companies is to catch them young. In what might exemplify the maxim, Microsoft’s Hyderabad centre on Thursday opened its doors to girl students in the hope that the company’s top-notch software developers would ignite their imagination and lure them into IT when they grow up.
The idea appeared to have made its impact.
“Till yesterday, I wanted to become a doctor. But now, after meeting so many IT professionals, especially women, I am having a rethink. What if I chose technology instead of medicine?” pondered class 9 student of Srinidhi International School, Y. Sindhoora.
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Close to 80 girl students from three schools — Srinidhi, Meridian and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Banjara Hills — had a day-long opportunity to meet and interact with techies at the global software giant’s Hyderabad campus.
The initiative, ‘DigiGirlz’, was launched at Microsoft IT (MSIT) Hyderabad and is part of Microsoft YouthSpark programme. “It’s an attempt from our side to inspire young impressionable girls to love technology and take up IT as a career. There is no dearth of role models. There is also a lot of interest in IT among young girls. It is just a matter of guiding and inspiring them properly,” says General Manager, MSIT, Hyderabad, Meher Afroz, who interacted with the students. The students were also keen to interact with developers on apps for Windows-based phones and in the use of Windows 8 images. “I want to become an entrepreneur. After interacting with developers here, I have realised that there is a lot of scope for entrepreneurship in technology. I am also looking forward to learn something on developing Windows app for mobiles,” said V. Soumya, a class 8 student of Meridian School, Madhapur. The day-long interaction also had fun-filled events.