Closing the Gender Gap in Tech

The tech industry is huge nowadays and is infiltrating every aspect of human life. In a not, so distant future we will be riding in cars that drive themselves, robots might be commonplace, and augmented reality will be an everyday norm. In a way, we now live in a world dictated by tech and the advances it creates.

Benefits that you can have when you’re in tech industry

Individuals who work in the tech industry are incredibly well-paid, taking home an average salary of £50K in the United Kingdom. There are a huge number of positions for those who choose to work in tech and it is an industry that is set to keep expanding, providing opportunities for many. This all sounds very exciting, but there is a dark side to this industry, and it’s become a contentious issue.

There is, undoubtedly, a gender gap within the tech industry. In 2015 just 25% of those holding a computing profession were women, and this has been in steady decline since 1991. It seems worrying that such a huge gender gap exists in this day and age, especially within an industry that is set to shape our world so drastically. But why aren’t women represented within tech?

Why aren’t women entering this profession?

Women and girls are just as capable of working in these industries as men are, so why aren’t they entering the profession? In 2014 a survey found that many girls felt that careers in engineering, science, technology, and maths had the image of being for boys and not for girls. In fact, when girls aged 11-18 were surveyed it was found that 74% of them did not have the opportunity to take engineering at school.

Whether it’s an issue of image or opportunity, it is clear that something needs to be done to close the gender gap in the tech industry. If the problem is not solved women won’t have the chance to have their say in shaping societies’ future, a grave and disturbing prospect indeed.

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