County firm searching for IT role models

The group is hoping that IT workers from Lancashire will help and fly the flag for the region.

Nathan Marke, chief technology officer at the Daisy Group said: “It is now often said that all businesses are digital businesses, they just specialise in other things.

“It is driving changes in the business models of every industry. It’s very much the industrial revolution of our time.

“But it has a poor brand, which I think does it a disservice as it can offer a tremendous career with opportunities for people with strengths across the whole spectrum of the arts and sciences.

“While TV shows like The IT Crowd raise the profile of certain types of career path, they don’t really dispel the myth that we’re all socially awkward ‘geeks’.

“So, we’re looking for people working in the industry with interesting jobs and a little charisma, to step forward and challenge the stereotypes by acting as positive role models for the next generation.”

Daisy is encouraging people working in computing/IT who have interesting jobs to nominate themselves or their colleagues as role models, by sending a description of their job, a photo of themselves, and an explanation of why they think they are a good role model.

For every valid nomination received,Daisy will donate £1 to Computer Aid International, the UK-based charity which aims to reduce poverty through practical ICT solutions.

Key industry figure, Bryan Glick, the editor of Computer Weekly will head up the judging process.

However, his fellow judges will know little about the industry, with schoolchildren forming the rest of the panel.

Bryan said: “I think it will be really interesting to find out first hand from teenagers what they think makes the industry appealing, and whether having more exciting role models can better encourage them to work towards a career in IT.”