Over 200 girls, aged 13 to 16 years, left Flow’s recent Girls in ICT Expo feeling motivated and ready to innovate.

The event provided students from across the island with a unique opportunity to engage with industry leaders and gain valuable insights into the world of information and communication technology (ICT).

Speakers at the event included Minister of Science, Energy, and Technology Daryl Vaz and Vice-President and General Manager at Flow Stephen Price.

The day also featured an inspiring keynote address by Jamaican-born tech star Natalie Bennett, senior product manager at Google. Bennett, a former student of the Convent of Mercy Academy (Alpha) and a graduate of the University of Technology, Jamaica and Carnegie Mellon University in the US, shared her journey in ICT and emphasised the importance of representation for young girls.

Said Bennett: “Over the years I’ve been dedicated to encouraging more women to get involved in technology through talks and volunteer programmes. This event is particularly special to me because no matter where life takes me, Jamaica will always be home. I understand the significance of representation,” Bennett stated.

She urged the young attendees to forge their own career paths in the ever-evolving landscape of ICT, highlighting the endless possibilities available. Bennett further encouraged the girls to think beyond the traditional 9-5 jobs and strive to create innovative solutions that can shape the future.

Kayla-Marie Page, from St Andrew’s High School for Girls, expressed her fascination with the event’s diverse range of ICT offerings. Having participated in Flow Foundation’s Future Tech Stars program, where she learned coding, Kayla-Marie found the expo to be both fun and informative.

“I want to become a doctor, but now I also feel inspired to use technology to create something that will benefit the world,” she shared.

For Xaria Patrick, a fourth-year student at Campion College: “Natalie [Bennett]’s speech made me want to go outside and build something. It inspired me to be a problem-solver and look for ways to make a positive impact using the knowledge I have.”

International Girls in ICT Day is celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday of April. This year’s theme was ‘Digital Skills for Life’.

Flow’s inaugural Girls in ICT Expo brought together key players to create an immersive ICT space for the girls.

Exhibitors included prominent institutions and entities such Star Apple AI, Virtual Reality Jamaica and the Jamaica Technology and Digital Alliance. Other partners on board for the event included Ngage by TIM, the Sandals Foundation, and Phase 3 Productions.

Amid concerns that artificial intelligence will lead to loss of jobs by making some human tasks redundant, Minister of Science, Energy, and Technology Daryl Vaz, said Jamaica must prepare its youth with the best digital offerings to master the development of technology in their chosen field.

Vaz said: “Science and technology is the way forward in finding solutions to the world’s problems… The rise of artificial intelligence and innovations like ChatGPT that will revolutionose the future of many sectors… If we prepare and empower our youth with the necessary digital knowledge and skills, they can harness the full potential of AI technology for any field.”