WIICTA Plus empowers next generation of female talent

ARN was proud to launch the inaugural WIICTA Plus mentoring program to help influence and educate graduates and early career professionals in their industry journey.  

Since 2012, ARN has put a spotlight on female talent with the Women in ICT Awards and now in 2025, the program has expanded to provide key career advice and tips and offer powerful mentoring sessions with key industry figures.  

“In 2012 we launched WIICTA, the Women in ICT Awards, to celebrate females in tech. These awards have become the platform for recognising the women in our industry and that funny little acronym, WIICTA, we developed in 2012 has become part of the Australia and New Zealand industry lexicon,” said ARN ambassador Susan Searle.

“But in 2025 we decided we want to offer more to the younger members of our female community, those just starting out in their tech careers and wanting to get the right foothold in this exciting industry. WIICTA Plus is a program to educate, mentor and guide those young aspirational females, navigating the early stages of the tech careers.

“A huge shout out to the 14 mentors who are industry legends from the ARN Hall of Fame as well as past WIICTA winners. ARN is so grateful for their time and dedication in sharing their teachings and knowledge with WIICTA Plus attendees.

“It was a fruitful and rewarding morning.”

Microsoft A/NZ K-12 education director Michelle Markham kick started the event revealing the 10 Career Secrets Women Need to Hear. 

As a coach at Women Rising, Markham brings an exceptional history of helping females in their careers, with that experience put on display for attendees to learn from.

“I’ve been in the IT industry about 30 years. I’ve done roles from deploying Lotus Notes to sales, marketing and operations and product management and I’ve spent the last 20 years at Microsoft,” she said.

“I also loan my time to Women Rising, which is a program designed to help women rise and progress in their career and find joy in their life. As a result of that work … I’ve been lucky enough to coach and hear from hundreds of women all over the world.”

Markham’s advice ranged from quick tips designed to determine individual self-worth, to how to get the best out of interactions with managers and mentors and handling opportunities for personal development.

Brennan founder and managing director Dave Stevens also took to the floor to discuss the touching advice he has shared with his own daughter and what he wants early career women to know in navigating the professional world.  

“Knowing your professional and moral thresholds isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity,” Stevens shared, along with “don’t underestimate the power of simply speaking up”. 

Women make up just 29 per cent of Australia’s ICT workforce, according to the Australian Computer Society’s (ACS) Digital Pulse 2024 report. 

“Those of us in leadership positions have a responsibility to do more. To clear paths, open doors, and build workplaces where inclusion isn’t a policy — it’s a standard,” Stevens said. 

The event also featured professional tracks with one hosted by Ingram Micro Australia managing director Hope McGarry focused on lessons in leadership and being bold in tech. 

Another professional workshop was designed by Schneider Electric general manager IT and Edge Astrid Groves on the importance of developing a personal brand. 

Additionally, two panel sessions also uncovered how to excel in a high performance team and the other focused on the power of mentoring.  

“What a fantastic program to help young females in the technology industry excel and learn about how to move forward, develop in their careers and open the floor to industry experts to help mentor the next generation of female talent rising through the ranks,” ARN editor Julia Talevski said. 

Following the sessions, attendants then separated to attend a series of one-on-one mentoring meetings with industry leaders and past WIICTA winners.

After WIICTA Plus concluded, WIICTA lunch was held, which saw more than 500 attendees Doltone House on Jones Bay Wharf in Sydney on 15 May celebrate 26 winners across eight categories. Congratulations to all the winners, highly commended and finalists.