ITWeb's Brainstorm magazine champions role of women in ICT

ITWeb's Brainstorm, a monthly magazine for business technology decision-makers, in its August edition takes a look at how women have reached some top roles across the male-dominated tech space. It asks some tough questions: Are women better leaders than men? What can local businesswomen learn from the successes of international female tech leaders? Why is breaking through the glass ceiling every woman's job?

"If you as a woman want to make a career for yourself, there is opportunity in the ICT space," says Brainstorm's Managing Editor Patricia Czakan. "However, at present, local women in tech leadership roles are still few and far between, and even when at the top of their profession, they often earn less than their male counterparts."

The edition also looks at programmes intended to make ICT attractive to schoolgirls and inspire young women to choose ICT as a career, as well as company mentorship programmes aimed at young female employees.

"In this special edition, we wanted to celebrate the successes of some truly inspirational women who are paving the way for future generations to make the age-old 'boys' club' more of an equal opportunity club," adds Czakan.

"One such woman is Brainstorm's former editor Samantha Perry," she says. "Seeing the need to showcase local women in the tech sector, she launched her WomeninTechZA website in July. Even she's surprised at the overwhelmingly positive response received from the industry. But maybe we shouldn't be surprised, because whether you like it or not, women are taking their rightful places alongside men in business."

The August issue of Brainstorm magazine also features a roundtable discussion on broadband in South Africa; takes a look at big data and enterprise mobility; as well as some exciting developments in themobile app and paymentspheres.