TechWomen conference set for Bulawayo

Bianca Mlilo, Business Reporter
BULAWAYO will tomorrow host a conference organised by TechWomen Zimbabwe aimed at encouraging the involvement of women in science and technology careers.

The National University of Science and Technology (Nust) will be the venue for the one day event that also seeks to promote the study of engineering and mathematics subjects.

Among the topics for discussion are strategies for attract funding for start up businesses, how to grow the business network and making a breakthrough in a male dominated world.

“There’ll be a march by students from the Bulawayo City Hall to Nust from 9AM to 10AM and the conference starts at 10.30AM at the Ceremonial Hall,” the organisers said in a statement.

TechWomen Zimbabwe is a local organisation that advocates for the inclusion of the girl child and women in STEM- related careers and fields.

STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

According to the organisation’s web page, TechWomen is hosting a delegation of women from Silicon Valley starting this week with the visit to Bulawayo marking the crowning moment of the week.

Eight delegates from prominent technology firms that include Twitter, Mozilla, Symantec and Juniper are expected to visit Zimbabwe for mentorship, skills development and training.

Every year TechWomen holds exchange programmes for women to enable those in STEM to reach their full potential and is designed to support development in the field of technology.

STEM in Zimbabwe has of late made waves after the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Professor Jonathan Moyo revealed that the government would pay tuition and boarding fees for all A-Level pupils opting for a career in STEM.