Professional rights in the Greek Computer Market Web Site: epe.gr

Professional rights in the Greek Computer Market Web Site:http://www.epe.org.gr Email: info@epe.org.gr Dimitris E. KiriakosMSc, MBA Computer Scientist , Secondary Education - TEI Piraeus , Vice President Hellenic Informatics Union (H.I.U.) antiproedros@epe.org.gr

The Hellenic Informatics Union (H.I.U) founded in February 2001 and is the primary professional organization based on law 1712/1987. Full members of the Union are the Informatics graduates of the Greek Universities & Technical Educational Institutions or equivalent graduates from abroad. Esteemed members are registered students of these departments.The H.I.U. has created a total of 14 annexes and has been active in various areas, with particular emphasis on issues of institutional and professional character , to address the various problems posed by the lack of legislative framework in the field of IT in Greece.

Objectives of H.I.U. We demand to create an IT policy that would bind the state and the society and utilize the human power of the country.We seek a broader dialogue between the state and social institutions in order to devise a plan for using IT, restructuring the economy and public administration.The strategic objectives to serve such a plan is summed up as follows:Informatics Literacy: Every citizen must have knowledge of the use of IT assets in order to participate actively in society, to defend the inalienable right to work and to safeguard and expand the political and civil rights.Informatics modernization: Everyone needs to use IT to become more efficient. The state, enterprises and organizations irrespective of ownership, individual professionals, and generally productive factor. The benefits of this effort should be made property of all of the society. With the efficient functioning of public services. By removing the barriers to information. With the abolition of the centralized state.

Production Information: Our country has the conditions to develop productive and innovative research in the field of IT. An organized development sector on the basis of synergy and regional development. European policies and resources should be exploited in this context.The role of our information in this context is crucial: In the scientific, professional and trade union activity we are called to play a leading role in the development and implementation of the National Informatics Policy.We assume our responsibilities and we expect the state and social institutions to surround us with the necessary trust

Women in the IT • Women’s under-representation in areas of key economic importance’ constraining factor for women’s contribution to the resolution of critical societal problems, and particularly women’s under-representation in sciences and engineering on the one hand, and the recognition for gendered sensitive educational practices in mathematics education on the other, constitute concerns in Western Societies for sometime now. • There is an need for the deepening of understanding on socio-cultural and pedagogic factors that impede upon girls’ equitable to that of boys, performance in Computer Science which consequently influence career choices.

Women in the IT • The gender-based stereotypes in school curricula, books and teachers' attitudes affect their future choices in determining a student's studies and profession. Some subjects are more strongly separated basis of sex. For example, across Europe, women are more likely to choose fields such as humanities and the arts, education and medicine, while men are more likely to choose to study polytechnic and physical sciences, mathematics and computer science. • The relatively new information and communication -ICT (which usually require a good mathematical background), it may expand and deepen the existing educational and economic gaps between women and men. Currently, women are less likely than men to be employed by the industry of new technologies, and are more likely to lack the necessary computer skills need to have access to jobs in information and communication technologies.

Gender Pay Gap In EU 27 female associated professionals working in physics, mathematics and engineering related jobs earn 22% less than their male colleagues and the same in the public sector earn 29% less. Female technicians and associate professionals earn 26% less in the private sector and 27% less in the public sector. The pay gap has another interesting characteristic: it is smaller at younger ages and increases as one gets older.

Professional rights • In Greece there is not a Chamber for the ICT professionals • There are no Professional rights except the Engineers • There is no responsibility taken for IT related projects – lack of legislation • There is no framework for contract work and minimum payment for IT professionals

Unemployment rate (%) by gender, 2009Q1, seasonally adjusted18

Unemployment in Eu 27 As seen, in 14 Member States, female unemployment rate stillexceeds male oneand this is more noticeable in Greece, Italy, Slovakia and the Check republic. Men unemployment rate was, in the 1st Quarter of 2009, 0.3 percentage points below thefemale rate. This information is not necessarily good news for women as it might beinterpreted in different ways. For example, women having part time or lower paidjobs were kept and better earners were fired. In 2007, there were 18.2% part-timeworkers in EU 27.

Questionnaire - H.I.U. members H.I.U. Members 1500+ Questionnaire answered 60 • Male 77% • Female 23% Ages from 26-45 ( http://files.epe.org.gr/newsletter/004.pdf)

ICT Education

Possible Causes • The image (Are Computer Science and Information Technology still masculine fields?) • Lack of women teachers in ICT (teachers in secondary education is a male dominated profession) • A different point of view of Computer (♂ : have a technical approach – h/w against ♀ which has a more s/w & usefulness approach for computers)

How to make IT more attractive to women? (Policies) How to bring a balance in the participation of women in ICT? • Integration of women in the computer market http://www.sepe.gr/default.aspx?pid=34&la=1&artID=2948 • Change the stereotypes of the IT worker (Making up the image of a solitary IT worker) http://informingscience.org/jite/documents/Vol8/JITEv8p045-057Garcia421.pdf • Teach ICT with an attractive manner to kids http://files.epe.org.gr/newsletter/007.pdf

Conclusions Women and ICT Status Report 2009 http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/itgirls/doc/women_ict_report.pdf According to Neelie Kroes European Commissioner Information Society «Whether these policies will be to apply different selection, tutoring and recruitment methods, breaking of stereotypes, fix targets or introduce specific measures to raise awareness to much younger children. The ICT sector does not take full advantage of female talent. The representation of half of the population in the development of technology, introduction of innovative ideas and equity are but a few. Women need to have equal access to and benefit completely from the design, development and application of ICTs, the use of the information and knowledge stemming from ICT applications and finally the opportunities offered.»

Thank you 

Professional rights in the Greek Computer Market Web Site: epe.gr