With the UK lockdown opening up and Christmas festivities commencing we know all too well that 2021 will be here before we know it. The global pandemic has affected the world in various ways. But we can look at the impact of the crisis on the UK economy. As a result, many people have lost their job or part of their income. So, this may be an ideal time for people to think about their future careers. Perhaps consider different industries or retrain. At the moment, 17% of women work in technology, and I’m proud to be one of them. Having been in the tech industry for 18 years, it certainly feels like home.
Interestingly, only one-in-six tech specialists in the UK are women, and only one-in-ten are IT leaders. Furthermore, despite significant growth in the number of women working in IT roles; female representation in the technology sector has stalled over the last ten years, research reveals. In fact, technology is one of the fastest-growing industries; and 2020 has clearly shown that the world has become increasingly reliant on tech, automation and innovation.
Personally, working in tech has provided the opportunity to travel the world and earn a wage as I worked with global corporations looking to digitalise their workforce. I learnt very early on that the focus is to deliver the perfect technology and innovation to the client. In 2017, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) conducted a research and revealed that only a quarter of females would consider a career in technology. Compared to 62% of males, and only 3% of females will make tech the first choice. This was in fact due to lack of female role models and nobody putting a career in technology forward to them. PwC decided to close this gender gap leading to the creation of Tech She Can in 2018. PwC women in technology programme provides opportunities making technology a more attractive and inclusive working environment.
The tech sector desperately requires diversity and innovative thinking that women can bring to the table. Here are top 5 reasons you should consider working in tech.
Fastest Growing Industry
Technology continues to rank as one of the fastest-growing industries. Advancements in areas such as cloud computing (including everything-as-a-service, or XaaS) and artificial intelligence (AI) mean the pace of growth will not slow down in the short term.
Low Cost of entry
Contrary to perception, you do not need a degree to secure a job in technology. There are a vast number of opportunities across the industry for women to explore (not all are hands-on techie roles) Training courses can be accessed at a low cost, and tech companies tend to keep their employees up to date with the latest qualifications.
Flexible Working
Tech companies have been enabling mobile working for over 30 years (way before covid hit). Mobile and remote working are second nature in tech, which is a huge advantage for women looking to start a family or already have a family and need to juggle work and family commitments.
Money
Technology is one of the highest-paid sectors, and interestingly the gender pay gap in the tech industry is smaller than in other sectors, research reveals.
Innovation / Job Satisfaction
Technology is powering the future. Organisations in finance, as well as healthcare, are using tech to provide improved services to the consumer. We are affecting meaningful change, and no year is ever the same. The pace is exciting!
