Supporting Women and Girls in Tech

I am so proud we can make this contribution to support women in computer science. It’s a way for our studio to honour International Women’s Day by doing something meaningful to positively impact the lives of women, but more importantly, it’s the right thing to do – to seek and support opportunities that help reduce barriers for women pursuing careers in the technology industry. Supporting and encouraging women and girls in technology is not only good for women, it is good for society as a whole.

Women face unique challenges in every area of study and in every workplace. In the technology industry, we recognize the barriers to studies in computer science begin for girls as early as pre-school, and can continue through well into their careers. From a personal perspective, I feel there is so much more we should do across the entire techno-creative industry to even the technical career-field for women. I am committed to make sure our studio keeps a focus on finding ways we can create and support opportunities that will help women and girls feel confident on that path every step of the way.

A story I’ve shared a few times – that I’ll never tire of telling because I am both proud of it and driven by it – is how I got started making video games. When I was nine, I told my mom I wanted to make my own video games. My mother, who was a gym teacher, taught herself to code so that she could, in turn, teach me. She never had the opportunity to pursue a technology career. In fact, she was told that she wasn’t allowed. I cannot help but think of the amazing technology and innovation that might exist today if she and other women like her had the opportunity to put their minds into a tech career. 

The impact she would have had on any techno-creative workplace lucky enough to work with her would have been incredible, I imagine. The fact she didn’t have that opportunity frustrates me because I know it’s still very true for so many women today. This frustration is now what pushes me forward as Managing Director of Ubisoft Winnipeg and as an employer in the tech industry, to ensure our studio remains committed to supporting women and girls to feel supported throughout their entire journey in technology.

This scholarship demonstrates the early stages of our commitment to support women and girls in technology – one of many more to come as we grow.