IT Professionals Day celebrates contribution of sector to business and society

Today is IT Professionals Day and the contribution made by IT Professionals to business and society has been celebrated at an event hosted by the Irish Computer Society.

There is increasing demand across Europe for highly skilled digital workers and all businesses and sectors need better digital skills to maintain their competitiveness.

According to Jim Friars, CEO of the Irish Computer Society: “As members of the IT Profession we contribute to the fastest growing, exciting and significant parts of both the Irish and global economy. Information Technology is embedded in every workplace, educational institution, home and social enterprise. IT Professionals Day has been established to recognise and highlight this contribution and to ensure that there is a better awareness of these facts across all aspects of society. IT Professionals should be proud of their contribution.”

Margie McCarthy, Science Foundation Ireland Head of Education and Public Engagement said, “The real success of the technology sector lies in the professionals working within it.  Science Foundation Ireland recognises how their skills help make Ireland home to the largest technology companies in the world.   Supporting Tech Week in celebrating what they do makes sense if we want to inspire the next generation of innovators”.

Honorary Fellowships were awarded at today’s event to Lord David Puttnam in recognition of his contribution as a digital champion and to Mary Moloney, Global CEO of CodorDojo, in recognition of her significant contribution in the field of Information Technology.

In a video he recorded to accept the honorary fellowship, Lord David Puttnam said: “My obsessive interest in computing and the digital world was first sparked when I worked for the UK’s Department of Education in the late 1990’s, and it became clear to me that the digital world had the opportunity to completely transform teaching and learning. I wanted to be part of that”.

IT Professionals Day asks those in the profession to get involved online at https://www.techweek.ie/it-professionals-day, to commit to a code of conduct, connect by availing of the ICS offer of six months free membership and access to the online CPD system, and contribute by giving time to Smart Futures volunteer programme and/or input to a European-wide survey on ICT professionalism through the EU Professionalism Project.

IT Professionals are also asked to tweet using #itprodayeu and #standupandgiveback.

A number of Chief Information Officers and senior professionals in the sector have shared their thoughts in a series of videos on www.techweek.ie/it-professionals-day/