Why More Women Are Needed in Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
Only 17% of jobs in technology are held by women in the UK. In our opinion, this is a big problem.
Three reasons why we need more women in the technology industry:
- Women consume 40% of technological products, and are the first to adopt many of them: the Internet, social media, mobile phones, Skype and more.
- Disregarding the female perspective often results in misguided, superficial ‘feminisation’, which ignores the real needs of consumers.
- The technology companies that do have female employees have a 34% higher ROI.
How can we get more women in the ICT world?
The Drimteam is 70% female, and our experience tells us that the key lies in effective education from a young age. Often, girls and teenagers aim for careers in which they can express themselves creatively, communicate or help other people. For example; singers, writers, actors, teachers and doctors. Many young girls don’t see that there are also opportunities for personal development in computing or science.
The demand for technology continues to grow, so we need to encourage youngsters to get involved in this exciting industry.
So, before you dismiss the technological professions, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you thrive in a challenging, creative environment?
- Can you imagine inventing the next great social network?
- Would you love to design your own fantasy world in a video game?
We’d love to hear your thoughts on closing the gender gap in ICT. Do you have any personal experiences you could share?