{"id":21560,"date":"2025-10-03T09:54:34","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T07:54:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rapidcircle.com\/?p=21560"},"modified":"2025-12-15T02:22:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T01:22:12","slug":"vdit-women-in-it-workshop-building-ai-confidence-in-higher-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rapidcircle.com\/nl\/vdit-women-in-it-workshop-building-ai-confidence-in-higher-education\/","title":{"rendered":"VDIT Women in IT Workshop: Building AI Confidence in Higher Education"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In September 2025, the VDIT Women in IT<\/a> community gathered at RMIT University<\/a> and online for a transformative half-day workshop focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education. Delivered by Rapid Circle\u2019s<\/a> Microsoft AI specialists Andrew Fix<\/a> en Damien Margaritis<\/a>, the event brought together IT professionals, digital leaders, and project managers from universities across Victoria and Tasmania, including Victoria University<\/a>, UTAS<\/a>, Swinburne<\/a>, ACU<\/a>, University of Melbourne,<\/a> en La Trobe<\/a>. The goal was to explore the practical power of AI tools<\/a> and strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rapid Circle is deeply committed to supporting women in IT, both within our own team and across the broader technology community. We are proud of the talented women who drive innovation and deliver outstanding service to our customers every day. While we celebrate their achievements, we also recognise that our journey is ongoing. We are actively working to see more women represented across all roles, from technical specialists to leadership positions. By fostering an inclusive culture, investing in professional development, and partnering with initiatives like the VDIT Women in IT community, Rapid Circle is dedicated to breaking down barriers and empowering women to lead the digital transformation in higher education and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attendees arrived early, sharing coffee and stories as they connected and prepared to learn. The group represented a wide range of backgrounds in IT service management, digital campus services, and project leadership, which set the stage for rich discussion and collaboration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Session 1: Welcome to the World of AI<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The morning began with a warm welcome and an interactive icebreaker, inviting each participant to share their role and what they hoped to learn about AI. This inclusive approach underscored the importance of diversity in technology and set a supportive tone for the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Damien Margaritis and Andrew Fix led the first session, demystifying AI by tracing its journey from Alan Turing\u2019s \u201cthinking machine\u201d<\/a> in 1950, through the birth of the term \u201cArtificial Intelligence\u201d in 1956, to today\u2019s generative AI breakthroughs like Microsoft Copilot<\/a> en ChatGPT<\/a>. Attendees learned about foundational concepts such as machine learning<\/a>, neural networks<\/a> en generative AI<\/a>. These topics were explained through relatable analogies and real-world examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This historical journey helped attendees understand how AI has evolved from rule-based systems to today\u2019s generative models that can create text, images, and even code. The presenters emphasised that while early AI could only perform narrow, pre-programmed tasks, modern AI systems learn from data and can generate original content, marking a significant shift in capability and accessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make these concepts more relatable, the presenters used analogies throughout. For example, machine learning was compared to learning to ride a bike through trial and error, while neural networks were likened to layers of filters that progressively detect edges, shapes, and objects in an image.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Session 2: Strategic AI Skills for the Modern Professional<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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After the foundational introduction to AI, Session 2 shifted the focus to the practical and strategic skills needed to thrive in an AI-powered workplace. The session, led by Damien Margaritis and Andrew Fix, was structured around six core themes, each designed to build confidence and capability for women in IT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why AI Skills Matter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The session began by highlighting the pervasiveness of AI in daily life, from smartphones and streaming recommendations to healthcare diagnostics and finance. Attendees were reminded that AI is not just a technical trend, but a core competency for the modern professional. In higher education, AI skills help staff improve student support, enhance workflows, and drive innovation. Teams that leverage AI tools outperform those that don\u2019t, making AI literacy essential for future-proofing careers and boosting productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI Awareness & Literacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Building on this foundation, the presenters emphasised that true AI awareness goes beyond simply knowing that AI exists. It\u2019s about understanding the fundamentals: AI is not magic, but a set of algorithms trained on data to recognise patterns and make predictions. The session clarified the differences between narrow AI (like chatbots), generative AI (which creates new content), and predictive AI (which forecasts outcomes). Attendees also learned to recognise AI\u2019s limitations, such as hallucinations, bias, and the absence of human judgment or empathy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Practical awareness was encouraged by spotting AI in everyday university tools like learning management systems, chatbots, and analytics dashboards. The importance of understanding the \u201cblack box\u201d nature of AI outputs was stressed, with a reminder to always ask, \u201cHow was this result generated?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data Literacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A key message was that \u201cgarbage in, garbage out\u201d still applies in the age of AI. Attendees were encouraged to question and interpret AI-driven insights by asking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n