The success story of the Smartiz program continued in digital form: in the previous two semesters, another 22 female students graduated from Morgan Stanley’s Budapest headquarters and the Women in Science Association’s mathematics and a series of programming sessions. The program will continue this year in a “hybrid” system: there will be face-to-face meetings, but most of the classes will be held online, so talented 10th grade girls from all over the country can apply again until September 24th. Women’s IT ambitions have been supported by Morgan Stanley for years, and this year, thanks to the company, participating girls were able to help their peers: in the 2021 semester, they donated tablets through organizations of their choice to girls whose home learning was supported in this way.
Morgan Stanley’s Budapest Center for Informatics and Analysis and the Women’s in Science Association (NATE) are announcing for the fourth time a program for high school girls, in which participants can deepen their math skills and learn the mysteries of coding in a in a basic programming language.
In the previous school year, 22 girls participated in Smartiz sessions online. Thus, while previously mainly female students from Budapest and the capital area could study, last year it was possible to apply from all over Hungary, and this will be the case this year as well. Most of the sessions will take place online in the next school year, but if the epidemic situation allows, the opening and closing events and the personality development sessions will be held live.
An important part of the program from the beginning that in addition to math and programming classes, girls also participate in individual and group career guidance mentoring and skills development programs. In addition to Morgan Stanley volunteers and NATE staff, this year the participants will also meet special speakers who will demonstrate the benefits of STEM tracks through their own example.
Starting push for girls
“The skills required for programming – rule recognition and creation, consistency, thoroughness and teamwork – are gender-neutral, yet there is a misconception that technology sectors are more masculine professions,” said Mátyás-Kollár. Gabriella, Chief Operating Officer of Morgan Stanley’s IT division in Budapest, “We find that young girls often think it’s not worth thinking about careers like this, and if they don’t get the initial push and confirmation, many don’t even embark on this path. Morgan Stanley aims to change social attachments and give this starting point to as many girls as possible. “
Recent research According to him, the demand for IT professionals has doubled in the last five years, and 44,000 digital professionals could still be employed in Hungary. This shortfall could be alleviated if more young girls started on the field. “The proportion of women in IT today is still low, so they are one of the largest reserves in the field,” added Gabriella Mátyás-Kollár. “We are proud that the proportion of women working in IT at the Morgan Stanley headquarters in Budapest is growing rapidly. Many of them also participate in the Smartiz program as mentors, proving that it is possible to pursue a successful IT career as a woman in one of the world’s leading financial institutions. “
Everyone can be an IT professional
Smartiz is a free developmental, educational program for 10th grade girls, aimed primarily at the development of mathematics as well as digital skills and basic programming knowledge using modern pedagogical methods. The weekly series of professional sessions cover the entire academic year. The unique curriculum was created with the involvement of educators, educational researchers and social researchers to gradually introduce participants to how mathematics and informatics can be utilized in everyday life. Smartiz was formed every year, based on suggestions from Morgan Stanley and NATE organizers, as well as feedback from mentors and girls.
“The main problem is not that more boys than girls going to be an IT or a mathematician, but the fact that due to a lack of support, negative social instincts, there will be no IT professionals or mathematicians who would otherwise want to be, presumably enjoy this field and be successful in it. a talented child can move on to the fields of science, technology, informatics and mathematics (STEM), who can find themselves in it, whatever their gender, ”said Szilvia Sáray, a curriculum developer at Smartiz and head of mathematics classes.
Tablets for Children in Need
An important core value of Morgan Stanley is that employees give something back to the community in which they live and work – this is the so-called “giving back” philosophy, which has been extended to the Smartiz program this year as well. Girls participating in the program were able to select, with the involvement of NGOs, children in need to whom tablets could be distributed in order to make it easier for them to acquire digital skills.
The program is open until 24 September 2021. apply on this website: https://nokatud.hu/smartiz/
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