Most people would agree that working in the tech industry these days offers a host of benefits. We now live in a digital world, and this means that no matter what area of tech you work in, your services are very much in demand. This then equates to improved job security and advancement opportunities among other things.
Jobs in the technology sector also come with decent pay, so those who decide to follow a tech career path can look forward to earning a pretty good living. The more that technology advances, the greater the opportunities, and the more money there is to be made. However, despite all of these benefits, the industry is still largely monopolized by males with very few women in tech by comparison.
More Needs to Be Done
According to statistics, only around 17 percent of the digital workforce is made up of women. This has been the case for the past decade or so, and since things do not appear to be changing, officials believe that more needs to be done. There are many industries that used to be male-dominated, but in many of these, the number of women in their workforce has been rising. This does not appear to be the case in the tech industry, which some find somewhat surprising.
Of course, these days all children are brought up on technology, and this could mean things will change in the decades to come. As the children of today move into adulthood and start their careers, many more females may decide to choose a career in tech because they have been brought up with it. However, as things stand, this is not yet happening, and the numbers continue to remain low.
Given the success of the tech industry in the UK, for example, the low numbers relating to female workers is something of a concern. According to data from Tech Nation, over £6 billion ($10.27 billion CAD) in venture capital funding went to tech companies alone in 2018. With technology always evolving, the growth and success of tech companies is astounding, yet there seems to be little movement with regard to an increase in the female workforce. From the smartphone industry to the casino industry, tech companies are flourishing as people embrace the digital era.
In addition, it has been noted that most of the major tech companies across the globe are owned or run by males. This includes everything from Apple to Twitter and Facebook. In fact, the industry has even been accused of creating a so-called ‘bro-culture’. This accusation appeared to be compounded by the fact that Travis Kalanick, the founder of Uber, had to step down as CEO after being accused of discriminating against female employees.
Fewer Advancement Opportunities
One of the problems that has been highlighted is the fact that far fewer women tend to be promoted in the tech industry compared to men.
A spokesperson for WeAreTechWomen said, “Women just aren’t getting promoted into senior tech roles. There’s a real lack of sponsorship, people in senior positions – typically men – supporting women’s work and efforts. Companies recognize 17% isn’t good enough and say they’re looking for women to promote. But if they want the right balance in the room, they need to help women at the middle level to progress.”
The good news is that some form of action is being taken already. The Tech Talent Charter aims to address the lack of gender balance in the industry, and a lot of big-name UK companies have already signed up to the charter. Whether or not this makes a difference remains to be seen, but it is certainly a step in the right direction.
