Brisbane, Friday 27^th September: Swinburne University of Technology has awarded this year’s Adrian Di Marco Women in Software Development scholarship to an ambitious female student with a long-held passion for gaming – an industry dominated by male developers.

The TechnologyOne scholarship is designed to support young women who want to develop their skills in the tech industry. Melbourne-based recipient, nineteen-year-old Ruby Hall, will receive a full scholarship over three years to help her through her studies.

Drawn to the creativity of design and structure of programming and a deep passion for games development, Ruby has been coding since she was nine years old and started her double degree in Bachelor of Games and Interactivity/Bachelor of Computer Science at Swinburne University this year.

Her ideal career path sits within games programming, using advanced software skills to help create the next generation of Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) and Visual Effects (VFX).

Over the last few years, the global gaming industry has exploded and now generates more revenue than the music and movie industries combined. Australia is emerging as a powerful gaming player worth over $4 billion, with FY23 revenues achieving 21% growth over the previous year. When it comes to gender representation, just under half of all players are female, yet last year Australian women made up just 26% of all employees across the gaming industry locally.

Speaking about the male dominance of her chosen industry, Ruby Hall said: “I’ve always loved playing and developing video games, so going to university to study it as a career path has long been my dream. As both a female player and developer, I think it’s so important that the people who create media are representative of its audiences. It’s key to achieving inclusivity and ensuring real-world experiences aren’t overlooked.”

TechnologyOne’s CEO, Ed Chung, added: “Despite so much progress, Australia’s vast STEM ecosystem is still represented by less than three in ten women. TechnologyOne will continue to support students like Ruby who want to challenge the status quo. By forging ahead with her chosen career path, Ruby can become a positive role model for the next generation of students set to power our economy. Through our scholarship, grad program and internships we hope to make a small difference that can lead to real change. As a parent to two girls myself, I am really proud to be able to support students like Ruby to help them develop their professional skills and guide them on a path towards a very bright future.”

One of TechnologyOne’s 10 scholarships, the Adrian Di Marco Women in Software Development scholarship gives students the support they need to focus on their studies while alleviating the financial burden. With the cost of living in Australia ranked more expensive than 87% of countries in the world, industry-funded scholarships are becoming more important than ever.

“Swinburne was among my top choice of universities because of its focus on students wanting to enter STEM fields, but it was this scholarship that helped me make my final decision. It not only allows me to realise my aspirations to be a games developer but also helps lighten the financial challenges I’m up against, including fees and public transport. By covering much of these costs through the scholarship, I will be able to place more focus on my studies, creating a portfolio to use in applications for internships or jobs across a competitive industry,” Ruby said.

In addition to the financial support, Ruby will gain a place on TechnologyOne’s intern programme.

“I’m looking forward to experiencing what it’s like to work in the software development industry and identify other skills not explicitly taught through higher education that will help me stand out,” she said.

Last year’s recipient of the award, Teisha Damman, is currently in the second year of her Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology degree, and on her way to a career in cyber security.