LIVE FROM CTIA 13, LAS VEGAS: An all-female panel this morning emphasised the importance of diversity in the mobile industry and outlined how to effectively develop the next generation of skills.

“We really need to step up the diversity of this industry,” said Mary Dillon, president and CEO of US Cellular and the first woman to chair the CTIA.

Allison Cerra, VP of global marketing and communications at Alcatel-Lucent, got into the industry after joining a non-profit group that placed minority youth into industry and business. “I didn’t find this industry, the industry found me,” she said.

“We have to encourage youth at a very young, formative age. I would not have found this industry otherwise unless somebody had been looking for me and said this is an opportunity you can go into,” she added.

Beth Jacob, EVP and chief information officer of US retailer Target, said “it’s about encouraging others”, adding that the Target Women in Science and Technology (Twist) programme encourages the development of female leaders in science and technology with several hundred members.

Target is also putting together a curriculum of interactive experiences and educational ideas and aims to bring young people into the mobile and technology sectors. “I would encourage people to encourage others, both youth and others in the workforce,” she said.

Qualcomm EVP and president of Global Market Development, Peggy Johnson, cited Qualcomm’s Innovation division which encourages women to become involved in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields.

“Women are underrepresented in the STEM fields and it seems like a great opportunity to encourage our young women, and our young men, to pursue a STEM degree,” she said.