At one of our recent events, we caught up with some fantastic women in our industry. Tilly Hawkins from ITRM, Lee Dugdale from 1-Fix, Celia Thatcher from NetUtils, and myself, shared our views on working in the tech sector, from how we started to the opportunities we’ve encountered.
We discussed how the industry can encourage more women to pursue careers in tech and cybersecurity.
Routes into working in tech
As a heavily male-dominated industry, the tech space hasn’t always been seen as an obvious route or career for women. Slowly, this is changing, and the percentage of women choosing careers in the sector is increasing. Hearing Tilly, Lee and Celia's experiences shows us that all paths are different. From changing careers to looking for a role in a sector with longevity, what is clear is that there’s plenty of opportunity for women to carve a career in the industry at any age.
Opportunities for women in tech
Whether you’re starting your career or moving 20 years into one, the tech industry offers many opportunities. In the attached video interview, I share the positives of having the chance to mentor younger females coming into the industry and the rewards of this. Celia shares the flexibility it’s offered, having switched from the demands of teaching, and Lee shares the encouragement she’s received to progress in her career over the years, initially starting out working in accounts.
The future of women in tech
It's clear that the tech industry needs to continue growing and increasing the percentage of women joining it, and to do this, there needs to be a combined effort. Starting early, through education, shining a light on women role models working in tech is important. Showing young girls inspiring and positive representations can help lead the way for change.
As mindsets change and the representation of women in tech increases, so will the market's equality and inclusiveness. In our Q&A, the importance of organisations taking responsibility for hiring more women into the tech sector and demonstrating their inclusiveness with female-led policies, such as those around female health, was highlighted as an important area for leaders to focus on.
Why we need more women in tech
Creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce offers many positives. Tilly, Celia, Lee and I shared lots of impactful thoughts and advice about why having more women in tech is so great. These are perfect examples of why more organisations and leaders should actively try to increase the percentage of women in their teams and the broader industry.
Men and women bring different skills and viewpoints, and the more diversity in an industry, team, or community, the more opportunities there are for innovation and learning from each other.
Thank you to Celia, Tilly, Lee for sharing your experiences!
Watch the full video here:
