That’s a wrap for Go Girl 2022 - Imagine IT

Go Girl is an annual 1-day technology conference uniting girls in years 5-12 across Australia and hosted by Women 4 Stem. It’s an action-packed day all about exciting and engaging attendees by introducing them to the world of STEM, inspiring them with fantastic role model speakers, showcasing the technology of the future, and challenging any preconceptions of what a career in STEM might look like.

We invite young girls from across Victoria to come along and discover that there is a place for them in the field of STEM. And that their skills, ideas, and contributions will be valued and celebrated in their chosen careers.

This year was even more exciting because the event returned to in-person after two years of virtual-only formats. Go Girl 2022 broke attendance records, bringing together 1700 students from across 70 different schools under one roof at Deakin University Burwood.

The theme was ‘Imagine IT’. A key objective was to inspire attendees to envision a world where technology knows no bounds and that they can play a role in its evolution. We wanted the girls to walk away seeing themselves as problem solvers, innovators, and leaders, ready to break down stereotypes and carve out their own unique careers in STEM.

Our speakers

This year, a diverse set of speakers came along to share the endless possibilities in the world of STEM. Along with Dr Jenine Beekhuyzen, Ambassador of Go Girl, our guest speakers included business leaders from ANZ, Australian Signals Directorate (in conjunction with Australian Women in Security Network and ISACA SheLeadsTech), Melbourne University, NAB, Jost & Co, TPG Telecom, Carsales, Deakin University and more.

We thank each speaker who took to the stage to share their experiences, insights and advice with the girls in attendance.

Tradeshow - or as we say, our fun expo!

Our sponsors played a massive role in the success of Go Girl 2022, each bringing their own flavour to the tradeshow and providing girls the ability to interact with various exhibits, as well as taking the opportunity to talk to sponsor representatives about what they do and how girls can be inspired for the future.

We could list so, so many incredible parts of the expo - but if we had 3, we’d say…

Social enterprise Girl Geek Academy brought along an attention-grabbing robot and female astronaut to represent the fields of drones, space and aviation. NAB’s popcorn machine was an instant hit, and ANZ went all out with prizes and giveaways, ensuring that no one left empty-handed.

Competitions

There were plenty of competitions throughout the day.  A passport-themed competition tasked students with visiting and interacting with every booth to receive a stamp on their passport - the tradeshow area is Go Girl’s world, and in the eyes of the students - they got to travel the Go Girl world and be up for some incredible prizes. The winners were drawn at the end of the day, with one lucky girl taking home a brand-new iPad. Sponsors at each booth also ran their own competitions, including Vic ICT for Women.

It’s also worth mentioning the photo booth, which had everyone taking selfies and sharing their experience on social media. A quick flick through the photos of attendees laughing, having fun, and soaking up every moment made one thing very clear – Go Girl is more than just a conference, it's a community and everyone who attended felt like they were part of something special.

Thank you to our many volunteers

The success of Go Girl depends heavily on the dedication and hard work of our volunteers. These individuals generously gave their time, skills, and expertise to help ensure Go Girl 2022 went off without a hitch. We want to thank those who worked behind the scenes to organise Go Girl and those who were there on the day.

Thank you to our generous sponsors

We also want to thank the sponsors who helped make Go Girl 2022: Imagine IT a reality. Your support has helped us to inspire and empower the next generation of female STEM leaders. We appreciate your support and look forward to working together to create a more inclusive and dynamic STEM industry.