The tech market is estimated to be worth more than $2 trillion, representing 10.5 percent of the national economy. Today, the industry comprises more than 585,000 companies in the U.S. with career opportunities that are just as vast and varied, including roles in engineering, content strategy, marketing, programming and social media.
These statistics paint a picture of a booming market; however, if you look closer, you’ll see the industry has a gender gap problem. While women make up 49 percent of the U.S. workforce, they comprise just 26 percent of the tech industry. At our virtual Equality Lounge at CES, we discussed how to share career opportunities with women earlier on and help them advance in the industry.
Here’s how organizations and leaders can get more women in tech:
1. Advocate for Women—at Every Rung Along the Career Ladder.
Make sure that women have a voice in any meeting. Actively encourage women on your team to have a point of view and share it. Pair entry and junior level women with more senior-level mentors.
Although women play a key role in holding the door open for other women, the onus to increase representation in tech should not, however, solely fall on the laps of women. Male allies play a key role in advocating for women too.
“It’s important that we educate male leaders on what it means to be an ally,” said Ivonne Kinser, vice president, Marketing & Innovation, Avocados From Mexico. “A lot of women are passed over for promotions because they supposedly don’t have the leadership skills, but they are being compared to the leadership skills of a male,” she said, noting that our understanding of what qualifies as “leadership” needs to be expanded. “The world is missing the amazing leadership skills of women. Without that balance, organizations won’t advance.”
2. Make Representation Mandatory.
Studies show that diversity drives revenue and business outcomes. To increase diversity in tech, the mentality that “representation is good to have” has to be flipped on its head to “representation is a must-have.”
“People need to see what technology looks like. It can look like hard hats to a full lace front. It can look like whatever you want,” said Janeen Uzzell, CEO of the National Society of Black Engineers. “We can be as rugged as we are regal.”
3. Nurture and Support Diverse Talent Early On.
Many young women aren’t nurtured or supported in skills, fields or interests that are not conventionally “feminine.” To get more women in STEAM, early exposure is key. It is difficult for a girl to have interest in something that she doesn’t have exposure to.