Microsoft South Africa and Business Engage are accepting applications for the Women Take IT to the Stage Academy programme until March 31.

The duo will run the six-session skills-building programme during April and May, with a final presentation in June, to equip women professionals in the sector with the critical skills and tools needed to advance their careers.

“The academy is aimed at bridging the representation gap of women in the technology sector by educating the female voice in the technology worlds and increasing the number of female speakers at technology conferences,” said Business Engage Association CEO Colleen Larsen.

Currently, women hold only 19% of technology-related jobs and 28% of leadership positions within the top ten global technology companies, according to research by PwC.

In South Africa, less than one-third of females, at 28.5%, graduate to science, technology, engineering and mathematics- (Stem-) related careers and only 7% of all engineers in the country are women.

“These statistics highlight that women still lag behind our male counterparts in an industry that is driving economic growth and the ability to participate and compete in the emerging digital economies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” said Microsoft South Africa CEO Lillian Barnard.

Over six virtual sessions with professional lecturers and TEDx speakers, the selected participants will be trained on personal branding, the art of storytelling, selecting a topic and becoming a skilled speech writer, reading the audience, handling fear and stage craft, presentation aids, speaking on camera, impromptu speaking, handling questions and post-presentation steps for maximum impact.

After each of the professional lectures, there will be smaller breakout sessions where experienced Microsoft employees will mentor and coach participants.

A virtual conference will be held at the end of the training where each participant will present their learnings and insights.

The number of places in the programme, which will be free of charge for participants, is limited, so participants will need to have a minimum of three years’ experience in a Microsoft technology, including open source developer technologies, as well as commit to participating in all six sessions and presenting to the audience post the course.

“Training and mentorship is an important tool for people, especially women, to discover and develop their skills and the unique traits they are able to bring to the workplace, particularly in a typically male-dominated sphere.

“Together, Microsoft South Africa and Business Engage are working to empower women to realise their potential and take the next steps in their careers to ultimately build a strong and much-needed pipeline of female talent in the tech sector,” concluded Microsoft South Africa SMB Channel sales manager Ilana Baragwanath.