Encouraging More Women to Consider a Career in Tech

Careers in the IT and technology industry are rewarding, constantly evolving, and offer continuous personal development. But why is there still a gender gap in the tech and IT industries?

That’s the question Blue Frontier’s female colleagues seek to address in their latest video discussing women in tech and IT careers. In the video, we discuss preconceptions, inequalities, routes into tech, and career opportunities for women in the industry.

While the technology sector is rapidly growing, just 3%¹ of females say a career in technology is their first choice, representing a real gender imbalance.

Why are there less women in tech?

Low awareness of job opportunities and career paths could be some of the key reasons women might not be considering tech jobs. 

Limited recognition of female role models in tech by the media could also mean young girls are less likely to aspire to work in the industry. Just 22%² of people can name a famous female working in technology. We’re yet to see any of our female tech entrepreneurs become household names like Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg. This means tech subjects may not even be on the radar when young women are narrowing down their education choices.

In a world where technology is always developing, so are the chances of entering the field. Just because you didn’t study a traditional tech or IT subject at school, college or university, doesn’t mean that a future in the industry is out of the question. It’s never too late to return to education, or retrain in a new discipline.

The future for tech

There’s a whole host of career and development opportunities available for both genders. As a society, we need to ensure not only that the glass ceiling is smashed by the rising talent of female employees, but that the door is left open for others to follow.

Employers in technology need to continue the fight to remove any gender imbalance within the sector. And offer more development opportunities to encourage women - and men - to consider a career in the IT and technology industry.