The Need for Women in Tech

Did you know that female employees are a minority in STEM careers? A study conducted by the US National Science Foundation showed that only 25% of the STEM workforce was made up of women. The lack of women in the tech industry, even today, is appalling. Women are more likely to pursue careers in the fields of healthcare, business, law and social sciences rather than science, engineering, math or technology. This has resulted in the STEM fields being dominated by men.

Source: Medium

The occurrence of such an unbalanced gender distribution cannot be blamed on men, but in fact, on society. The reason women are less likely to pursue STEM is a result of a lack of encouragement. Young girls aren’t empowered to consider fields such as technology due to sexist misconceptions such as ‘feminine subjects or majors’ being imposed upon them causing them to never develop an interest. Alongside the sexism, an absence of role models leaves those interested in feeling alone and isolated. The most ‘famous’ female tech role model is Ada Lovelace. The only catch is that she is from the 1800s!

Why does it matter that females are a minority in STEM fields? Research shows that diversity in the workforce can enhance problem-solving. According to the Scientific American, this statement is backed by decades of research. Collaborating with people of different genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, and races has been proven to cause increased innovation and enhanced problem-solving. The all-around benefits of workplace diversity show why we need women in STEM fields. The tech industry is currently growing at a rapid rate, and we need a larger, more diverse workforce to be able to supply what’s in demand.

Luckily, this issue is being brought into the light. Several non-profit organizations work towards encouraging women to pursue careers in the STEM sectors. In fact, Bur Oak has a club dedicated to it! Breezecode, run by Mr. Fernandez, is an all-girls coding club open to women interested in coding. The club’s activities revolve around enhancing the participants’ knowledge in tech, and encourages the members to consider tech as a possible future. Apart from non-profit organizations or clubs, there are several other ways women can be encouraged to pursue tech: motivation is key. Women are more likely to drop out of STEM majors in university or out of STEM workplaces due to a lack of support and isolation. Encouraging women to seek education in these fields by educating them about the importance of their contributions can stagger these statistics and lead to diverse workplaces.

By Sri Sanjana Baddukonda