Cisco Celebrates International Girls in ICT Day in Lagos

Cisco has hosted a dedicated corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative designed to help boost the future outlook of young women throughout Nigeria, in line with the International Girls in ICT Day. With a focus on equipping female students with Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) skills, Cisco is imparting vocational training to prepare them to become members of the global 21st century workforce.
Twenty female students drawn from secondary schools across Nigeria were invited to spend the day with Cisco Nigeria leaders at Cisco offices in Lagos, to gain an understanding of the opportunities the ICT sector holds for their future and a deeper insight into professional fields and courses of study that may be overlooked when choosing a career.
The International Girls in ICT Day is an initiative supported by International Telecommunications Union to create a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider careers in the growing field of information and communication technologies (ICTs), and is celebrated on the 4th Thursday in April every year. 48 Cisco offices participated in this initiative across the Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia (EMEAR) region.
Mr. Imoh Akpan, CSR Manager, English West and Central, Cisco Corporate Affairs, stated that “Mentoring and training programs aimed at young talented females in Lagos is vital to helping our young workforce of the future to adapt and secure career opportunities in the global 21st century workforce. The country’s growing youth population needs to be equipped with the right skills to help them thrive in this ever changing world.”
Now in its third year, Cisco has been participating in International Girls in ICT Day from its inception.
Mrs. Bolanle Ogundogba, head Sales, MainOne Cable Company and guest speaker at this year’s event in Lagos, while sharing her experience highlighted the various types of professions in the sector that the female-folk can have rewarding careers in.
Other sessions were delivered via Cisco TelePresence by female and male leaders at Cisco who shared their background and experiences and discussed how they developed their careers to reach leadership positions. The girls also had the opportunity to test their skills, ask questions, and network with Cisco female employees.
 “Our goal is to provide talented young women with a sense of how technology can help to widen their opportunities as well as open a window to the world and give them the chance to be inspired by role models who are already enjoying career success. This way, they will feel more comfortable with technology as a means to advance their career prospects. Our activities around the annual Girls in ICT Day, for example, aim to provide
a platform for young female students to learn, create bonds, as well as network and share best practices”, Imoh added.