Digital Passion: Three Girls in Tech

CYBERJAYA, 12 MARCH 2021 – In continuation of the International Women’s Day celebration, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) is proud to share and highlight some of the outstanding female achievers of MDEC’s school-goer targeted digital-skills programmes.

Understanding that eight of the top ten emerging jobs will require digital tech skills in Malaysia, MDEC acknowledges the young ladies and future leaders who have stepped in, stepped out and stepped up to a domain traditionally assumed to be more relevant to boys.

In ensuring a digitally-skilled workforce, the school level #mydigitalmaker programme provided access to digital content and capabilities for some 2.19 million school students nationwide up until December 2020. More than 25,000 students enrolled in digital tech courses in 2019, a 40% increase from when the initiative started in 2017.

THE GAMER

“Whenever I learn and discover something new, I like to keep asking why and forming theories. When it all clicks, it feels like I’ve solved this huge puzzle and I get a sense of satisfaction from realising that everything is connected,” comments 17-year-old Chan Hew Yan, participant of the 2019 Digital Ninja programme under MDEC’s #mydigitalmaker movement.

The Digital Ninja programme falls under the #mydigitalmaker movement - #mydigitalmaker movement is a joint public-private-academia initiative led by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) in partnership with the Ministry of Education to transform Malaysian youth from digital users to producers in the digital economy. This includes skills such as coding, app development, 3D printing, robotics, embedded programming and data analytics; all of which will ultimately help to strengthen problem solving and creativity amongst our future generation

An eager programme participant, Chan proudly talks about her love for gaming had triggered her interest in the digital realm, likening storytelling in games to simulators of real-life problems as envisioned by game developers.

“Ever since I was young, I have always been a big fan of games…I love storytelling and exploring the worlds the developers have created. A game allows the player to empathize and learn to see things from a perspective different than their own,” explained Chan about her takeaway from gaming. She also shared how she later joined the Digital Ninja programme, an initiative that brings students, mentors and experts from all over Malaysia together to share their knowledge and experience, with completing digital assignments being the goal.

When asked about her views on girls and women who were making waves in tech, she said her favourite woman in tech is Rachel Hofsetter a.k.a. Valkyrae, a YouTube streamer and content creator who was also the recipient of the Content Creator of the Year 2020 in The Game Awards. “Seeing women in tech jobs reminds me that the sky is the limit! It does not matter who you are, as long as you have passion, you are willing to learn and you don’t listen to naysayers,” added Chan.

THE CODER

16-year-old Aisyah Batrisyia Muhamad Ramdzan from SMK Dato’ Abu Bakar Baginda – participant at the Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities – felt that the challenges with which she was presented at the competition, built perseverance as she strove for completion.

She attributes her interest in joining the competition, to the exposure she had gained in digital activities at a Digital Champion School, another avenue that the #mydigitalmaker Movement offers to drive a digital innovation culture in schools and in the local community. SMK Dato’ Abu Bakar Baginda was selected as Champion School in 2018 alongside 23 other Champion Schools nationwide.

“I’m really interested in electronic stuff,” quipped Aisyah, when asked about what aspects of digital excited her the most.

“My mum, who is a lecturer in microelectronics, always encouraged me to participate in digital courses such as Python, Arduino and Scratch. That’s gotten me into exploring more programming,” continued Aisyah, as she expounded on what inspired her to explore STEM subjects with greater fervour.

When asked for her views on women in tech careers, Aisyah referred to her mother as the woman who most inspires and motivates her, citing genuineness and kindness as the greatest source of a woman’s strength.

THE DESIGN THINKER

Thinking out of the box is what Saii Yashaa Gopinath Rao prides herself in the most. She regards her penchant for all things STEM and design thinking, the reasons for her interest in digital innovations.

She commented on what she loves the most about STEM is watching the unfolding of inventions and innovations that people her age were coming up with, in order to solve real life issues.

“I told myself that I want to do this too,” exclaimed the Puchong-based teen, who admits that the digital world had created a space that allows her to explore her creativity and thus demonstrate what she can accomplish.

Enthusiastic about programmes, such as Digital Ninja, for her fellow youths, she believed that upcoming programmes under the #mydigitalmaker Movement should involve senior graduate participants who can guide and inspire first-time junior participants.

Commenting on the significance of International Women’s Day, Saii Yashaa shares that young women can achieve anything with passion and the yearning to keep learning - and pledges support for breaking gender stereotypes under the #ChooseToChallenge theme this year.

STEM, DIGITAL SKILLS, A DOORWAY TO THE FUTURE

The #mydigitalmaker Movement had humble beginnings in 2016. It was launched as one of the key components in driving the digital economy with a focus on what is now, one of MDEC’s key pillars under the agency’s strategic framework – Digital Skills and Jobs. As of December 2020, the #mydigitalmaker Movement had impacted 2.19 million students across Malaysia, inspiring digital innovations among students while presenting STEM subjects as doorways to exploration of technology and all its various advantages in solving problems for humanity.

"Technology offers gender equity and inclusion, inevitably creating a technologically integrated society in Malaysia. Malaysians can level the playing field between genders as more and more women join the tech industry. Whatever value an individual adds to a cause, project, team or organisation, is determined not by gender but by skills, knowledge and determination. Technology bridges gender gaps and offers opportunities even in unprecedented uncertainty,” asserted Dr Sumitra Nair, Vice President, Digital Skills and Jobs Division at MDEC.

According to Dr Sumitra, efforts and collaborations across various parties have helped transform students under the movement, from consumers to producers of technology. The programmes under #mydigitalmaker include Digital Ninja, Digital Champion Schools and Hour of Code among others, which involve a lot of behind-the-scenes engagement as well as execution.

“I would recommend that parents and students aspiring to bridge tech or digital gaps pursue opportunities for tech exposure. MDEC is mandated to lead the digital economy by creating a society that is deeply integrated with technology, to empower the rakyat to thrive in 4IR. Therefore, we look forward to reaching out with more exciting programmes under MDEC’s #mydigitalmaker in 2021!” added Dr Sumitra.

About Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)

Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) is a government agency under the purview of the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia entrusted to lead Malaysia's digital economy forward.

Incorporated in 1996 to oversee the development of the MSC Malaysia initiative, MDEC's primary mandate today is to accelerate the growth of digitally-skilled Malaysians, digitally-powered businesses and digital investments in Malaysia. MDEC is focused on creating inclusive, high-quality growth through the nationwide digitalisation initiatives that are in line with the Government’s Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 in line with Malaysia 5.0 and firmly establishing Malaysia as the Heart of Digital ASEAN.

#LetsBuildTogether #DigitalMalaysiaForward

To find out more about MDEC’s Digital Economy initiatives, please visit us at www.mdec.my or follow us on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyMDEC/ Twitter: @mymdec

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Dashika Gnaneswaran - [email protected]

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