TRA awards UAE Higher Colleges of Technology students participating in the ‘International Girls in ICT Day’ competition

The General Authority for Regulating the Telecommunications Sector (TRA) awarded female students from Higher Colleges of Technology for their participation at the ‘International Girls in ICT Day’ competition. The award ceremony was aimed at empowering and encouraging girls and young women to consider careers in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) that is rapidly growing throughout the UAE.

Backed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Member States including the UAE were invited to host the International Girls in ICT Day event. As part of the event sessions, students visited the mGovd Innovation centre and shared their experience and knowledge in the sector. Their discussions aimed at increasing the participation of females in the ICT industry throughout the UAE. The students were also exposed to the various smart, digital innovations in the field of ICT in the UAE.

“We were delighted with the presence of female students from Higher Colleges of Technology at the TRA ‘International Girls in ICT Day event’. They were able to see the various career options available to them within the ICT field and just how imperative female talent is to this sector. All students from the nation’s colleges and universities possess creative skills, exceptional knowledge and a drive to make their ambitions a reality, as they play their part in achieving the goals and aspirations of the UAE,” said Eng. Majid Sultan Mesmar, TRA Acting Director General.

“This competition allowed us to look closely at the roles and functions of those within the ICT sector in the UAE. During our visit to the TRA headquarters, the Computer Emergency Response Team (aeCERT) explained how to follow up and support the websites of government entities, in order to protect them from intrusions,” said Khawla Ali Al Kaabi, Winner of the first place in the competition.

“During our tour in the TRA, we were able to experience of the reality of work throughout several departments. As such, I would like to talk about our distinctive involvement in the mGove Innovation centre(CoDI), which depends on the latest technology and strategies in order to spread digital literacy amongst public sector employees and students, on the national level. The center offers the possibility of distance training as well as self-learning through electronic registration and listening to lectures, and then progressing into the tests to get the results,” said Elham Mohammed Karmastaji, second place in the competition.

The third place winner, Amna Ali Al Bana, said that the level of advantage that they have gained from this experience has enabled them to learn a lot of information about data analysis mechanisms, the occurrence of cyberattacks, identifying their causes, how to deal with them and protect websites from the harmful effects. She added that such initiatives will have a significant impact on encouraging more girls to work in the telecommunications sector and information technology.

The ‘International Girls in ICT Day’ event is a global initiative, where the ITU invites all Member States and Sector Members to organize events to create a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider careers in the growing field of ICT. A number of different events and activities will be taking place that give girls the chance to gain a better understanding of the opportunities that the ICT sector hold for their future. In 2013, the TRA celebrated the ‘International Girls in ICT Day’ event in the UAE for the first time.