Park Place Technologies, a global IT infrastructure services and solutions provider, is celebrating the Oct. 11 International Day of the Girl by announcing a laptop donation programme, TechForGood, with Ireland-based STEM non-profit I Wish.
58% of DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) students in Ireland do not have a laptop for schoolwork, according to Camara Ireland. UNICEF also acknowledges the growing digital divide, recent reports show that girls are more likely to be at a disadvantage, as “girls are less likely than boys to own devices and gain access to tech-related jobs”.
During the next year, Park Place Technologies will join global corporations focusing on this need by donating a minimum of 100 refurbished laptops to female students in Ireland who have limited or no access to technology, as part of the TechForGood initiative. This zero-waste recycling initiative bridges the accessibility gap by providing refurbished laptops to female students across Ireland who may have problems accessing technology. To apply for future donations, visit iwish.ie.
Teachers in Ireland who have applied for the first wave of donations report an increased need for laptops. “Having your own laptop allows you to have a meaningful tech experience and also full access to necessary programmes, quality of research would improve, and they would be on even playing field with their peers,” said one teacher. Others reported, “Projects and essays are very difficult to draft on small screen and phones” … “We find students struggle massively to access learning from home due to lack of technology” … “A number of students muddle along as best they can, but they fall between the cracks, modestly preferring to remain under the radar.”
Park Place Technologies and I Wish have been partners since 2019. Jennifer Deutsch, Chief Marketing Officer for Park Place Technologies, said, “By changing attitudes one step at a time through global initiatives, providing tangible resources and championing success stories, I Wish is making genuine change that will impact generations of women. Park Place is an I Wish partner as we believe in developing a fully diverse workforce where all talent can learn and thrive.”
Gillian Keating, Co-Founder of I Wish, said: “The past year has exposed the profound digital divide that exists. Many homes have no devices like laptops while some households share a device. Those without the resources can be cut off from opportunities to develop skills and to network with like-minded girls and role models, which increases gender inequality. Access to technology should be a right, not a privilege.”
To register for future donations visit iwish.ie and to learn more about Park Place Technologies’ partnership with I Wish, including School Twinning and the I Wish annual STEM event, visit Park Place Technologies online.
About Park Place Technologies
Park Place Technologies is a global IT infrastructure and solutions provider with a unique portfolio of solutions and services designed to streamline the monitoring and management of your digital environment. Our unique DMSO (Discover, Monitor, Support & Optimize) approach increases infrastructure visibility and control by integrating IT management at the hardware, network, OS, and application levels. Park Place’s industry-leading and award-winning services include Park Place Hardware Maintenance™, Park Place Professional Services™, ParkView Managed Services™, Entuity Software ™ and Curvature Hardware sales. For more information, visit www.parkplacetechnologies.com. Park Place is a portfolio company of Charlesbank Capital Partners and GTCR.
About I Wish
I Wish is a multi-award-winning programme dedicated to driving the power of STEM to female students in Ireland and across the globe. I Wish was founded in Cork, Ireland in 2015, with 1,000 girls attending its showcase event — a free gathering of world-class speakers promoting careers in STEM. The growth of the movement saw over 15,000 viewers across 19 countries attend in 2021. Along with its celebrated annual event, I Wish has now developed a series of year-round innovative outreach initiatives which include I Wish & Park Place Technologies TechforGood and the I Wish International XChange Programme.