Introduction

Though women are underrepresented in the tech industry, they play a critical role in its future. This is according to several studies and reports that have surfaced in recent years. In order to close the gender gap, there are many things that need to change, but more importantly, there needs to be a cultural shift. Girls and young women need to see themselves reflected in the industry and know that they can achieve anything they set their minds to.

Though there has been some progress made, the number of women in tech is still dismally low. In order to close the gender gap and encourage more women to enter the technology field, we need to take a closer look at why this is happening and address the underlying issues.

The State of Women in Tech Today

The percentage of women in the tech workforce dropped from 26 percent to 23 percent between 2002 and 2017. Despite making up half of the overall workforce, only about a quarter of all jobs in the tech industry are held by women. The number of female CEOs leading America's top publicly traded tech companies has also remained stagnant for six years at just 5 percent. While there are many reasons for this gender disparity, one suggested solution is to mentor and sponsor more women into leadership roles.

In spite of a number of high-profile women leaving the tech industry in recent years, the number of women hired in tech roles is actually on the rise. In fact, according to CompTIA’s 2019 study on Women in Tech, women now make up 47 percent of the overall workforce in tech. This uptick is encouraging, and it’s important to understand the reasons behind it so that progress can be maintained and accelerated

So why is the number of women in tech so low?

There is no one answer to this question. A variety of factors likely contribute, including educational disparities, a lack of female role models in the tech industry, and unconscious bias.

One study showed that when boys and girls were asked to draw a scientist, the girls were far more likely to draw someone who looked like a nurse or teacher, while the boys were more likely to draw someone who looked like a mad scientist. This shows that even at a young age, girls are not being encouraged to enter into fields like tech.

There are a number of contributing factors. First and foremost is the lack of female role models in the industry. A study by Paradigm found that when girls have just one female role model in a STEM field, their likelihood of pursuing that field increases tenfold.

But it’s not just a lack of female role models that are keeping women out of tech. There are also unconscious gender biases that work against women in the industry. Studies have shown that when evaluators are given identical resumes but with the names switched from male to female, the chances of getting selected increase by a drastic amount.

Getting more girls and young women interested in tech

There’s no doubt that the tech industry is booming. But there’s also no doubt that it’s a boys’ club. Girls and young women are drastically underrepresented in the field, and we need to do something about it.

There are a number of things we can do to get more girls and young women interested in tech. We can start by making sure that we’re encouraging girls to explore STEM subjects in school. We can also create more opportunities for girls to get involved in tech-related activities, both in and out of school.

Another way is to get more women into tech roles so they can be role models and mentors. Another way is to focus on the fun and creative aspects of technology and downplay the stereotype that it’s all about math and science.

One more way to get more girls interested in tech is to provide them with opportunities to learn about it in a fun and creative way.

It is a big priority for me, and I hope it will be for you too.

"The more people who are interested in technology, the better it is for all of us."

Conclusion

There has been a lot of discussions lately about the state of women in tech. While there have been some encouraging advancements, there is still a lot of work to be done. We believe that every woman should have the opportunity to shine in the tech industry, and we need your help to make that a reality.

Please consider supporting women in tech by donating to organizations that promote diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, or by reaching out to your local school or community center to offer your