This International Women’s Day, IBM and Crazy Ideas College (CIC) delivered a dynamic leadership experience, bringing together young women in years 10 to 12 from schools across Sydney and Melbourne.

Held at IBM, the students took part in a powerful workshop built on CIC’s Lead4Impact (L4i) model, a framework designed to equip young people with the tools, mindsets, and strategies to lead change in their schools and communities.

The event focused on developing leadership skills and promoting bold career pathways in STEM. With the involvement of IBM female leaders, including Angelica Veness, CTO for IBM Australia and New Zealand, the young women learned that technology and leadership are interconnected. The students found the workshop transformative, shifting their understanding of leadership from a rigid concept to something personal and adaptable.

Student reflections:

“Leadership looks different to everybody, and small steps can lead to bigger change.”

“IWD made me think about the 2025 theme [of Accelerate Action] and how I can apply leadership in different ways.”

“I loved getting to interact with other leaders my age, sharing stories, and learning from each other’s experiences.”

Beyond the theory, the workshops fostered meaningful connections between participating students and IBM staff. Students valued meeting leaders from other schools, engaging in discussions that challenged perspectives, and crafting leadership experiments to apply in their own communities. The presence of IBM professionals sharing insights into leadership pathways and the intersection of technology and impact was particularly inspiring.

One student reflected, “Meeting the IBMers and seeing their leadership journeys was incredibly inspiring.”

Another shared, “I loved making the slam poems with my school group and seeing how creativity plays a role in leadership.”

Educators echoed the enthusiasm of their students. They saw firsthand how the event equipped young leaders with practical skills and confidence. Adam MacNamara from Caroline Chisholm College (NSW) described the workshop as “an authentic and practical seminar that enabled students to see leadership in action.”

Others highlighted the value of exposing students to corporate environments, helping them envision new possibilities for their futures – particularly within the world of tech. Adam said, “It was an incredibly well-structured event that helped students see leadership beyond school and in the real world.”

CIC and IBM are committed to equipping all young people with the skills, confidence, and networks to shape their futures. Since 2022, our partnership has supported over 27,000 young people across Australia and New Zealand, delivering programs that help students develop leadership qualities, build future-ready mindsets, and leverage technology for good.

With overwhelming interest in similar leadership experiences, CIC and IBM look forward to expanding these workshops, ensuring more young people have the opportunity to step into their leadership potential. As one student put it, “You can approach being a leader in many different ways—this workshop helped me see that.” Another reflected, “This experience gave me the confidence to take action on my ideas and lead in my own way.”