More women in tech: How many miles to go?

It requires grit to reimagine a gender-equal world full of opportunities, writes Melissa Daimler

With the growing penetration of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing across industries and sectors, women foresee positive change out of the growing tech wave. Women’s leadership roles in tech organisations have increased over the past decade due to the availability of tech-focused education on flexible learning platforms that are easily accessible alongside working.

There are around 252 million women entrepreneurs worldwide, accounting for 41% of the global workforce and managing more than $20 trillion in annual spending.

Women are exploring new ways to face challenges and fulfil aspirations regarding their representation in the domain of technology. Many believe that the proliferation of new-age technologies across sectors is enabling more opportunities for women in the tech and IT industry which could increase exponentially in future.

Technology skills for women

Empowering oneself often involves gaining more knowledge, skills and resources that enable a person to overcome challenges, optimise processes and achieve goals to make positive changes in their life. This can lead to greater independence and self-reliance, as well as increased confidence, resilience, and sense of purpose in life.

Despite many challenges, women continue to make strides in progress, taking initiative and excelling in whatever field they enter. Educated and empowered women are contributing to digital transformation, and in the future, more women will venture into areas traditionally dominated by men.

Women are an underrepresented group in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields as only 20% of tech jobs are being held by women. McKinsey’s research indicates that companies with more gender diversity in leadership positions were 25% more likely to make higher profits.

Equip women for representation

Women who are exposed to technology and have access to learning about the latest skills in tech will likely consider it as a career option in the future. However, to encourage women in tech, they have to be given equal access. Most engineers in tech are men. Even though women are increasingly taking up senior tech roles, they are still very much under-represented in these positions.

Online learning solutions can be extremely beneficial in educating people on both sides of the playing field, whether it is about learning how to foster equity while breaking down biases in the workplace or learning to develop a high-quality product design.

There are many ways to encourage women professionals to enter the tech sector. Companies can offer interactive and personalised learning solutions to provide a platform for people to connect, learn, advocate, express themselves, and access resources.

Multifaceted modules related to practical advice for learning about specific emerging trends, customised worksheets to apply new learnings, skills quizzes and assessments, as well as fireside chats with women in tech discussing how they successfully transitioned into tech can be great tools to efficiently represent women in the tech industry.

Creating an inclusive future

Women leaders sharing their personal and professional stories with younger generations is an important step in inspiring more women professionals. By sharing their stories and serving as role models/mentors, women leaders can help to create a more diverse and inclusive future for women in the technology space.

Upskilling is key to securing leadership opportunities in tech and enrolling in relevant upskilling courses and programmes can help women stay abreast with new-age technologies. This will help them build a diverse skill set as well as actively seek new projects which will be important at an individual level to holistically develop and avail a leadership role in the tech industry.

Times are changing

Gender bias, whether conscious or unconscious, has been a prominent trait in the tech industry. Luckily, times are changing, and global technology companies are taking steps to build more inclusive and diverse company cultures to attract more female employees in this space.

In addition, companies should invest in their recruitment functions to attract and retain top female staff, addressing the pay gap and offering flexible learning and development opportunities.

Finally, women can empower themselves by advocating for gender equality in their organisations and the broader technology industry. This can include speaking out against discrimination and bias, supporting other women in technology, and working to create more inclusive, diverse workplaces and communities.

Every year, International Women’s Day is celebrated with special themes that focus on the most pertinent goals around gender equality. This year’s theme focuses on embracing equity, underscoring that true inclusion and belonging require equitable action. It requires grit to reimagine a gender-equal world full of opportunities, free from all kinds of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.

(The author is the chief learning officer of an ed-tech platform)