Hi-Tech Awards Gala Dinner
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| Hattie, Mia and Katie |
Clare announced the first award of the evening which was the Hi-Tech Young Achiever of the Year. In her preamble, Clare said:
“Can I acknowledge three stand out women – Jen Rutherford who is a trail blazer for women in tech who organised this dinner and has contributed a lot to the tech industry. The mayor, the Honourable Lianne Dalziel, who has been a mentor to me and Katie, a year 13 student at St Margaret’s College who seems to be doing an inordinate number of subjects this year in STEM. Stand up Katie” (Katie was then encouraged to stand up in front of 800 people, the spotlight zoomed in on her and her image was shown on the two gigantic screens at the venue) “Katie has a very clear idea of her pathway specialising in women’s reproduction health mapped out and what she wants to achieve in her career in the biotech industry and we want more, more people like you Katie.”
The evening showcased an array of start up businesses that are flying the flag for New Zealand beyond our shores. These companies who are embracing diversity through gender, sexual orientation and cultural boundaries are proving to be more profitable than the traditional models of years gone by. The climate for young women to enter tech industries with innovative and creative thinking is here!
Technology is currently the third biggest contributor to the New Zealand economy and it continues to grow. Christchurch is the second major contributor to technological growth. Women now make up 23% of this sector and there is a strong drive for this to also grow. Overseas, New Zealanders are looked upon as not people who do not do the status quo but as creative thinkers who can make dreams come true.
The latest person to be inducted into the Hi-Tech Hall of Fame, known as the Flying Kiwi, was Claudia Batten. Claudia as a resume that spans many pages. We were fortunate to have her speak at one of our school assemblies about 4 years ago. She acknowledges that the world “asks a lot more from us” but New Zealanders are great problem solvers and work to make things happen. Our girls at SMC certainly rise to the challenge in this area.
The world of technology can be a daunting one, however, it is technology that is providing opportunities ahead. Technology in New Zealand is about purpose, where we have a space to talk, we share and we are willing to help each other. We come together as a tech family to focus on innovation that’s not only food in the world but good for the world.
Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi
With your food basket and my food basket, the people will prosper
Some reflections of the events of the evening:
“Attending the High Tech Gala Dinner was such an incredible experience. It was amazing to have the opportunity to be surrounded by such amazing figures in the technological field! I absolutely loved being able to connect with industry professionals in such an inspiring setting - particularly watching women in STEM be acknowledged and awarded for their efforts.
My favourite part was being able to witness Claudia Batten, one of my most inspirational role models, be awarded with the Flying Kiwi award, which is an incredible award that few women have received.
Being able to attend the event was so advantageous, as it meant that we could develop connections with incredible people in the fields that I would really like to go into, and I think that any other student would be similarly inspired by the incredible finalists! It was an amazing night, and I absolutely loved being able to attend” Hattie Compton-Moen
“I had an absolutely fabulous experience at the Hi-Tech Gala Dinner. I was at a table with the CEO of Tait Communications Garry Diack, the Minister of Broadcasting Clare Curran as well as an engineer, trustees and other people integral in the technology sector in Christchurch. It was such a fantastic insight into all of the places technology is going and how important it is to integrate women into the sector. The conversations I had really stuck in my head. I had discussions about technology and STEM as were to be expected, but on top of that, I had conversations about the #MeToo movement, parental leave, how different equity and equality of the genders is, the diversity of engineering, mental health and so many more polarising topics with the most unlikely of people. The evening had this incredible focus on the future and on diversity and on building brighter, healthier, smarter, strongest and faster futures. By attending this event I got this incredible insight into the technology community and gained some incredible contacts for my future in STEM.”
Katie Ellis
“The evening was a spectacle and celebration of tech and innovation in NZ. We are so privileged to be in a climate that is embracing diversity. This bodes well for our graduates from St Margaret’s College. Our students are provided with opportunities to develop skills that prepare them for a world of change. It is exciting and uplifting to be part of the growth of women in tech. I am grateful for the continued support from companies such as Tait Communications who open young minds to take a glimpse into future possibilities.” Linda Chong
