• Award open to local government ICT professionals starting out on their career
• Previous winners have travelled to New Zealand, Australia and California
• Entries close 14 September

Socitm is calling on ICT professionals who are already working in local government ICT, or who aspire to do so, and are in the early stages of their career to enter its travel award, the Graham Williamson Challenge.

The award was created in 2004 to enable a person starting out in ICT to undertake a short period of work experience abroad, in order to broaden their understanding and knowledge of ICT in a wider public sector context. 

The award provides a budget to cover travel, accommodation, and associated costs, with the expectation that the successful candidate is granted one month's paid leave of absence from work to fulfil the placement. Host authorities are identified through the links Socitm has with similar professional associations all over the world. On return from the trip the Award holder is expected to produce a report based on their experience and to deliver a short presentation at an appropriate Socitm meeting.

The Challenge was established in memory of Graham Williamson, former Head of IT at Argyll and Bute Council who was a highly active member of Socitm. Graham died in a motorcycle accident in 2000, and the Challenge has been set up as a fitting memorial to someone who was passionate about IT and particularly interested in mentoring young people.

Last year’s winner was Clare Forbes, a business consultant from Hampshire County Council, who is just back from a month in California making the most of her prize.  Her schedule began with a meeting with PK Agarwal, the Head of IT for the State of California, and Karan Marsh, an e-government project manager.  Other highlights of Clare’s trip have included the GMIS (Socitm’s US counterpart) conference and a visit to the HQ of Google.  Clare’s blog about her trip can be found at http://blogs.hants.gov.uk/clareforbes/.

To apply for the Graham Williamson Award, applicants need to write 500 words describing what they hope to gain from the experience, how it will contribute to their career and professional development, how the experience might benefit current and/or future employers, and why they are the right person to take up the Graham Williamson Challenge.  Submissions will be judged by a panel of senior members and officers of Socitm, including the current President. Submissions should be emailed to stewart.jackson@socitm.gov.uk.

Entries close on 14 September 2007 and the winner will be announced at the Socitm National Conference in Belfast on Tuesday 16 October.

For further information please visit /socitm/Professional+development/Graham+Williamson+Challenge/

Further information:

Vicky Sargent or Peter Coates, Socitm Press Office 
Tel: 0845 094 5641  email: vicky.sargent@socitm.gov.uk or peter.coates@socitm.gov.uk

Stewart Jackson, Manager, Member Services
Tel: 01395 445152  email: stewart.jackson@socitm.gov.uk