Did you know that women have played a key role in tech and computer science since the beginning? For example, computer pioneer Grace Hopper devised the theory of machine-independent programming languages which led to the creation of an early programming language still in use today called COBOL. Actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr filed a patent for frequency-hopping technology back in 1941 – a precursor to Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth now used by billions of people worldwide.
However, women are a clear minority in the STEM workforce. U.S. Census data shows a slow increase in female STEM workers from 8% in 1970 to 27% in 2019. But this is changing. Many large tech companies like HP have made public commitments to improve gender diversity. Companies like this are also expanding their efforts to ensure greater workplace and leadership diversity by race, age, and other social factors.
This year, roughly 1 in 4 leadership positions at large global technology firms will be held by women. Deloitte Global predicts that large global technology firms, on average, will reach nearly 33% overall female representation in their workforces in 2022.
As one of the fastest growing global industries, IT needs talented women to continue joining the workforce to sustain and inspire its rapid growth. If you’re looking to break into the tech world, but not sure how, check out Cydeo.com to see what we can do for you or sign up for an Intro Session here.