By Simon Danneskiold-Samsøe, AAU Communication and Public Affairs

Exciting work, good career opportunities, a decent salary and a labour market that is just waiting for more new graduates. The IT industry is short of labour, and women in particular are in demand in a field that historically has an uneven gender balance.

Aalborg University thus wants to help more young women open their eyes to the opportunities in the IT industry. One of those who has already sought this path is Marie Brisson who is studying Cyber and Computer Engineering:

"Of course, it matters that there are really good job and career opportunities after graduation. But fundamentally, my education is incredibly exciting, and I work largely with future solutions in the digital field. I’m really happy with my day-to-day life at the programme, and there is a good study environment and a good balance between academics and social life."

A broad perspective is important

In March, Aalborg University is hosting a two-day IT Camp in both Aalborg and Copenhagen, including an overnight stay, to encourage more women to pursue an education in IT. A couple of busy, social, and exciting days, offering participants the opportunity to learn more about the programme and explore topics such as robotics and artificial intelligence.

For IT is more than programming; it is also about how to use IT in the healthcare system, climate protection, app development and much more.

"There is a huge demand for labour with IT skills, and at the same time, the IT industry has traditionally had significantly more men than women. Fortunately, this is changing, and to strengthen this trend, we want to see if we can entice more women to study IT. Both because it is a hugely exciting area with good career opportunities and also, more broadly, because the tendency is that you design for people who are most like you. So, if all the IT designers are men, then the digital landscape will also be skewed," says Louise Møller Haase, Vice Dean, Technical Faculty of IT and Design, Aalborg University.

The IT Camp takes place on 21-22 March in both Aalborg and Copenhagen.