Delivering Outcomes DIF builds awareness of the opportunities of the digital economy so that the benefits may spread across the state: • • •
Supports development of advanced technology capability Supports development of broad digital and data literacy Fosters grass roots involvement of all sectors of the economy and community
• • •
Stimulates the pipeline of STEM skills and opportunities for digital jobs Promotes Victorian digital capabilities to a national and global audience Increases adoption of emerging technology in priority industries
As part of DIF2016 founder of US based, Girls in Tech, Adriana Gascoigne, launched Girls in Tech (GIT) Australia in Melbourne [Pic R]. Since then GiT has engaged over 50,000 women across the country. In 2019 at the DIF Hub Future of Work Day, Alex Post shared her story of how GiT supported her career transition from the US to Melbourne. Posting on LinkedIn she had met a personal goal speaking at DIF which dozens of colleagues recognized.
At a DIF briefing in Warragul in 2017 a handful of regional entrepreneurs decided to work together to host Gippsland’s first ever tech conference. The result was Binary Shift [Pic L] which in its third year has become a leading regional entrepreneur conference. Since then GippsTech, has registered as a social enterprise and successfully received both state and national grants to run the Startup Gippsland program for 46 businesses and the Work My Own Way for SMEs until 2022
As part of DIF2018, the Colac Chamber of Commerce held a workshop aimed at using technology to win the Chinese tourism dollar. Chinese New Year 2019 saw Colac introduce regional Victoria’s first-ever QR codes at 22 of its tourism businesses, with stickers advertising goods and services in Mandarin Chinese. Storefronts participating reported up to a 15 per cent increase in the number of Chinese customers visiting their businesses on the way to and from the Great Ocean Road.
2019 Inside the DIF ezine
Page 26
