Contests, events and camps

The secondary technical education is highly male-dominated, only a few per cents from all applicants for electrical engineering education are women. In autumn 2004 a T8-contest “technology for girls on 8th grade” was organised at Omnia Vocational College in Espoo. 22 girls took part in the contest and through it the girls had a chance to acquaint themselves with electrical and metalwork education and every woman’s handicrafts, such as electrical installations allowed for non-professionals. The tasks were included in the degree programme at the Vocational College. The teams taking part in the contest were from Kilonpuisto, Karakallio, Leppävaara and Lintumetsä schools. Because the girls did not have previous experience of this work type, they were first told and showed how the work should be completed. That way the girls had the courage to participate.

TiNA organised an event called “Girls Day” at technical and cultural educational institute in Espoo (now known as Omnia Vocational College) in April 2005. On “Girls Day” the girls were inspired by technology. The participants got a chance to try out their manual skills and to do for example the electrical installations allowed for non-professionals, to make a barbeque stick and to maintain a bike. The participants were mainly girls and their mothers.

TiNA-project was involved in planning and implementing a camp called “Insight into engineering” organized by Center for school clubs (Kerhokeskus) in summer 2005. The purpose of the weeklong camp was to familiarize girls with technology, both in studies and in working life. The girls (20 girls) participating the camp are mathematically talented and successful in school. The campers visited Helsinki University of Technology for two days. Center for school clubs organizes the camp every year on different locality.