Castries, Saint Lucia – Girls in ICT (Information and Communications Technology) will be celebrated globally on Thursday, April 25^th, and once again the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) is playing its part to empower girls, especially those in our five Contracting States, to become more aware of the benefits to be derived from studying and pursuing a career in the field of ICT.

The focus of this annual event, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), revolves around the theme of Leadership. It aims to highlight the crucial necessity for having influential female figures as role models in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. According to the ITU, ‘although women now fill 40% of high-skill occupations globally, their participation in ICT-related fields continues to be low. Women are nearly absent from software development, engineering, technology research, academia as well as at the highest levels of policy making. They also tend to leave science and technology jobs at higher rates than men. To thrive in STEM, girls and young women must be exposed to women in leadership positions, fostering inspiration and breaking down barriers that hinder their progress.’

To this end, the Directorate is calling on female students from the five Community Colleges in ECTEL’s Contracting States (Dominica State College, T.A. Marryshow Community College in Grenada, Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College in St. Kitts and Nevis, Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in Saint Lucia and the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College) to create an exciting 1 minute reel featuring a woman who they consider to be a leader in ICT from their respective countries or from any of the ECTEL Contracting States. There are attractive cash prizes to be won, and to make it even more enticing, the emerging first place winner’s College, also wins a prize.

In reference to the competition, ECTEL’s Managing Director, Mr. David Cox, said: “Supporting women in ICTs is important for all of us, and will specifically transform our countries and the region for the better, when more girls take up careers in STEM fields.” 

The Reel Contest launches on 21^st March 2024 and all submissions must be made by 25^th April 2024. Visit ECTEL’s ‘She’s my ICT Champion!’ Reel Contest Girls in ICT 2024 – ECTEL for the contest rules and let your creative juices flow! 

ECTEL has been the regional regulatory body advising the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commissions (NTRCs) on electronic communications matters in its five (5) Contracting States namely; the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines since 4^th May 2000. In simple terms, ECTEL works with the NTRCs to promote consumer rights and harmonised benefits in the electronic communications sector in its Contracting States.

Follow us at @ectel on Facebook and YouTube and @ectelauthority on Instagram and X for more information about our work.

Rules

• Female students from five Community Colleges in ECTEL’s Contracting States are invited to create an exciting 1 minute reel featuring a woman who you consider to be a leader in ICT.
• The ‘Woman ICT Leader’ being featured in your reel should be a national of the country where your college is located or from any of the ECTEL Contracting States, and you MUST have permission to use all images in your reel.
• Eligible Colleges:
  • Dominica State College (Dominica)
  • T.A. Marryshow Community College (Grenada)
  • Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (St. Kitts and Nevis)
  • Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (Saint Lucia)
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (St. Vincent and the Grenadines)
• The words ‘…and that’s why she is my ICT champion’ MUST be included in the reel.
• Entries must be emailed to ectelquiz@ectel.int with the following cover note/message:
  “Follow and like @ECTEL on Facebook and YouTube and @ectelauthority on Instagram and X/Twitter, then check out my Reel called ‘title of your entry’ by ‘name of contestant’. Don’t forget to like my entry! #WomeninSTEM #WomeninLeadership #GirlsinICT #ECTEL – Regulatory leadership committed to consumer empowerment and harmonised benefits in a unified space”
• Ensure that your cover note/message accompanying your entry also has the following information: your full name, school, age, country, your Facebook/Instagram handles.
• ONLY contestants who like and follow our Facebook and/or Instagram accounts before the deadline will be eligible to participate.
• One entry per person.
• Only individual entries are invited, no group entries allowed.
• Competition timeline:
  • Launch date: March 21, 2024
  • Deadline for submissions: Girls in ICT Day – April 25, 2024 at 12 midnight/ 12 a.m. (Eastern Caribbean Time)

Prizes:

1st Place – EC$1000
2nd Place – EC$750
3rd Place – EC$500
Most likes – EC$250
The 1st Place Winner’s College – $500