Women in Technology exchange program


NAB

In an attempt to close the gender gap in technology, National Australia Bank and Microsoft are swapping women.

Female employees are sent for five weeks to the other company to learn new skills. Two groups are swapped each year.

NAB's general manager of support services technology and the co-founder of the bank's Women in Technology program, Dayle Stevens, said once she developed the idea she approached Microsoft chief executive Pip Marlow.

Ms Stevens said since the Women in Technology program was launched, the percentage of women in senior roles at NAB has increased from 18 to 24 per cent.

Department of Education figures show the number of females enrolling in IT courses fell from 25 per cent in 2001 to 20 per cent in 2013.

"In big organisations like NAB a lot of people come here and stay in their roles for a long time," Ms Stevens said. "We wanted to create different experiences for people to increase thier own thinking, expand thier thinking, broaden their horizons."

Ms Stevens said the exchange builds confidence and resilience in women, and creates role models for aspiring young women in technology.

"The intention was to give these women experience and expand their thinking and get them to come back and talk about what they'd learned," she said.

"But what surprised us, and what happened almost immediately, was how much our two organisations learned from each other."

"We have seen an increase in the number of women and retention across the board. We've seen a lot more women putting thier hands up and applying for roles. That's been one of the barriers in the past."

'YOU CAN'T BE WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE'

Employee turnover costs Australian businesses an estimated $20 billion a year, and business leaders have acknowledged keeping women engaged is imperative.

NAB programmer Stephanie Gan said during her placement she met "some inspirational technologists, many of which were women – and I have come away feeling more confident than ever before".

"I've since reset my goals and am much more determined to put my hand up for new opportunities at NAB, to advance my career," Ms Gan said.

"My focus now is on developing the best technology I can, knowing I can make a huge difference to the experience of NAB customers. I've been able to share my experiences and networks from Microsoft with my colleagues in the NAB Women in Technology group, as well as the team more broadly."

Microsoft Australia marketing manager Sophie Byrne, who participated in the exchange, said she still had a lot to learn.

"But my understanding of the nuances of our customers' journey is so much greater thanks to the 'trading places' program, and it has most certainly helped me make better decisions in my own job," she said.

"I love being in technology and I've been given some incredible opportunities, but I'm also very conscious of the impact of role models like Pip Marlow, our own managing director, and of initiatives like this one. You can't be what you can't see, and all these things have helped me realise how far I can take my own career."


This article was originally featured on AFR: http://www.afr.com/leadership/national-australia-bank-and-microsoft-swap-female-it-staff-to-boost-skills-20160126-gmereg#ixzz43azvYVGS