It’s well documented globally that women don’t see the IT industry as an attractive career choice. It’s no different here in Australia. Recent SEEK Learning data shows only 19% of enrolments in IT Courses were from women. Similarly, international data from Gartner shows the number of women in key roles in the technology industry is just 14% a number that has remained roughly unchanged for 10 years.
I’ve worked in the IT industry across a variety of roles for the past five years and it still excites me every day. It’s an industry that’s growing at a rapid pace. It’s changing the way the world shares, searches, socialises and shops. It’s going places, and has only just got started.
Despite many women choosing a career path outside IT, the industry is actually well suited to many women’s skillsets. It’s a largely untapped resource, and I’d like women to take a second look at the IT industry because, although you may not realise it, there are opportunities ripe for the picking. I’ve put together the top three reasons why I believe women and IT are a great fit.
- We’re good communicators. Effective communication is paramount to making it in this industry; sometimes more so than having an in depth understanding of the technology itself. Women are fantastic storytellers, and we’re great at giving context to a situation. We’re good at the ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the project. I’ve never experienced this more than in my current role. As a product manager at SEEK, it is often up to me explain the wider vision behind a particular project or set of decisions in order to keep the team engaged in the bigger picture and on track to meet deliverables. It’s in these situations I’ve cherished my knack for communication.
- We’re naturally inquisitive. There have been times I’ve found myself sitting in a meeting and only understanding 40 per cent of the subject matter, if that. I’ve found having a cool head in these situations is important, as if you get bogged down by the detail in this industry you’ll never be able to come up for air. When learning anything new, it can take time and exposure before the subject matter becomes second nature. Shying away from it just won’t work and I’ve been able to learn quickly from helpful colleagues, whilst prioritising the information that I need to know, and the stuff that I can discard. Women ask lots of questions, so we’re constantly learning.
- The IT industry is suited to ambitious women. I’ve worked in tech and also traditional companies with technical departments. I believe there are still stark cultural differences between the two. In my experience tech companies are leading the way for pushing the boundaries of new ways of work, innovation and driving creativity. I’m a firm believer working in a tech company can teach young women about more agile and innovative ways of working as they embrace the industry’s nimble, fast paced and unparalleled culture. The very nature of the product also directly influences the culture of the company; change is inherent, fluidity is essential and people aren’t so doggedly attached to procedure – it’s adapt or fall behind and that’s why it’s fantastic and exciting. While the overarching strategy of a project won’t necessarily change, the way we get there often does and that’s why I love it and think young women would too.
The things I’ve learnt from working in smart, innovative and extremely agile tech companies such as SEEK has been invaluable to my career development and I can’t encourage others enough to consider taking a similar path.