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The number of women in the high-tech workforce is going down, not up. As reported by the U.S. Department of Labor and compiled by the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT), women in the US make up 25% of the high-tech workforce and that number has decreased since the mid-1980s when women represented 37% of the high-tech workforce.
That's more than a 10% decrease over 25 years. It's hard to understand these statistics when as a society we are surrounded by technology; babies are learning their ABCs on iPads and kids are texting in their answers to teacher's questions. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the next seven years, more than a million jobs will open up that require specialized technology skills. More women are attending college than men, yet less women are majoring in computer science.
Women make up half the population in the US and just as many women as men purchase smartphones and play video games. If that's the case, why don't as many women as men want to build the technology that they are using?
There are a lot of theories as to why there aren't more women pursuing technology-based professions, but most experts agree that the top reasons are due to a lack of positive role models (you can thank the media and advertisers for that), mentorship, and networking.
The trailer for the indie film "Miss Representation" is making a big buzz right now. During the film Jean Kilbourne, EdD says that because of how the media represents women, "no matter what a woman does, no matter her achievements, her value still depends on how she looks."
Marissa Mayer of Google believes that tech has an image problem. She believes that girls are offered a narrow view of what it means to be a "geek" - someone sitting alone in a cube typing away on a computer.
We have one person saying that it's the media's fault that women care so much about how they look and another saying that we need to prove that girls in tech aren't dorky looking.
IMHO a good compromise is to focus on WHAT women in tech are doing, and ask them to be good role models and mentors to other females. If you look at any of the "top women in tech" lists, they all look very different and have varied interests outside of technology. In fact, some are doing a great job in making geek cool and chic. The point is for females to find a role model and mentor that is a fit based on their interests and comfort level.
The good news is that pretty much every single industry you can think of has a tech component to it. You like fashion, guess what, fashion tech is cutting edge, creative and fun. Love animals? There are some pretty amazing advancements in veterinarian medicine using technology. If you love it, there's a tech component to it. And if not, well, create it! Check-out these Stem4Girls Computer Science & Technology videos for some inspiration.
According to a study by Harris Interactive, 68% of female Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) college students say a teacher or class sparked their interest in STEM. And 49% of women pursuing STEM degrees chose STEM to make a difference.
I can personally attest to the importance of a strong female role model, especially when pursuing something considered "nerdy." Growing up I was surrounded by women who felt comfortable using computers. My Step-mom purchased our family's first computer that I played RPG games on during the day and she created CAD drawings on at night. My Mom is a huge gamer and teaches college level computing. My Grandma bought her first computer when she was 70 and she used it to email me recipes and design birthday cards. I liked being on the computer; I loved the sound of the modem as it dialed up to my favorite BBS. Even though in elementary and high school not many other girls were playing around on the PC or Mac, it was totally normal at home. I went on to attend a technical college and have worked in the software business ever since.
If you really dig into the heart of the matter, it's not that women are against working in high-tech, it's that they need some key ingredients to get them interested and involved. They need role models that help them feel good about themselves and help them focus on what is possible rather than a media stereotype. They need mentorship and nurturing throughout their school and work life; a support network to turn to when they hit a roadblock.
Here are some things that we can do to provide mentors and positive role models to women to encourage their participation in technology:
- Regardless of gender, if you are currently in tech, mentor a female, young or old, that is interested in the field
- Provide children with age appropriate learning tools in school and extra-curricular activities to get them excited and inspired about technology
- Educate women on the breadth of job skills needed to be in technology; you don't have to be a coder
- Reach out to women in career transitions. Point them at e-learning sites where you can learn tech skills such as programming and project management. Help them find a mentor
- Advocate for media and advertisers to be the change in how women are depicted on-screen and in magazines
- Donate to groups that support women in STEM
- Ask a female to be an advisor or on the board of your startup and encourage her participation
- Invite a female to be on panel at your tech conference and guide her through how to be an effective speaker
- If you are a VC or someone that has raised money for your startup, don't just mentor people you are giving money to, make a concerted effort to mentor a women that is doing a tech startup
- Read these NCWIT Talking Points designed to promote the involvement in IT.
