Though the number of women in technology careers is growing, it’s still a field that’s dominated by men. According to the US Census Bureau, as of 2019 women accounted for 27% of workers in STEM fields. In a world with a shortage of tech talent, it only makes sense that we encourage all interested and qualified individuals to learn the necessary skills to succeed in tech careers.
How can we do that?
- Develop talent from a variety of areas
People who have pursued or obtained computer science degrees are a natural fit, but there are other avenues to a tech career. I recently spoke with a woman who began in project management. She majored in business and didn’t think that a career in technology was for her. Now, she is the CIO of a large organization.
All executives start somewhere. We can foster growth among our people by providing access to professional development courses, both formal and informal. If there are opportunities to expose our people to different aspects of the organization by allowing time to shadow other departments, or provide on-the job training in areas of interest, we can not only assist in shaping careers, but also decrease the costs associated with employee turnover.
- Provide mentorship to women early in their careers.
Entering a field traditionally dominated by men can be intimidating for those who identify differently. This can explain the perceived lack of confidence exhibited by women in tech, especially those early in their careers. Supportive female mentors can provide visible confirmation that there is a strong female presence in the tech space. Representation matters, not just so that women can see themselves in leadership roles but so that all people can see women in these roles and adjust to it as commonplace.
Additionally, supportive mentors can provide invaluable guidance as mentees make career decisions. They can help to give support when it comes time to change roles, apply for promotions, ask for raises, and other pivotal moments that can be difficult to initiate.
- Promote events and organizations that are designed for women
One such example is the Women Tech Council. From their website,
“Women Tech Council (WTC) is a national organization focused on the economic impact of women in the technology sector through developing programs that propel the economic pipeline from K-12 to the C-suite. WTC offers mentoring, visibility, opportunities and networking to more than 10,000 women and men working in technology to create business environments focused on inclusivity and high performance. Through this work, WTC propels women in technology careers and the talent pipeline by ensuring a strong, diverse and entrepreneurial technology workforce.”
By keeping up with the latest news and offerings from such organizations and encouraging participation from employees, we can support our staff and promote diversity and inclusion. Additionally, these types of forums can help our employees grow their networks and potentially inspire younger generations of tech minds.
Investing the time and effort to make sure that all employees are supported and feel valued can yield dividends for both individual members of the team, and our business and industry as a whole.
