Building for the Future: Diversifying IT
Nov 4, 2022
Women are largely underrepresented in the tech sector. According to research from IDA Ireland, only 19% of women employed in the tech industry in Ireland are women.
This needs to change, not only to ensure a more diverse workplace, but to build for the future of tech and guarantee there is the pipeline of diverse talent the tech sector requires to continue to innovate and grow.
If your company is struggling to attract women, there are solutions to encourage more women into IT careers.
Let’s investigate them.
Introduce IT in early education
A study from Girl Guides found a whopping 52% of girls between 11-15 do not consider STEM subjects as a career path due to the misconception that they are “boys” subjects. It is crucial to introduce girls to STEM from a young age to diversify IT.
There are currently over 70+ programs across Ireland that help attract young women and girls into IT. This includes workshops with female role models, coding academies and science fairs, such as SciFest.
For example, at MCS Group we participate programmes including Bring IT On, an initiative set up to encourage girls into IT.
Get your company involved in these programs and inspire the young female minds into an IT Career.
Grow with graduates
Investing in graduates is one of the best ways to attract female talent.
You can grow graduates by:
- Introducing apprenticeships and graduate programmes.
- Removing the requirement for technical qualifications and instead look for those with a passion for IT and learning.
- Promoting and providing female mentors for graduates.
This opens more opportunities up for young females with a passion for IT and creates a pipeline of talent for the future.
Showcase the benefits of a career in Tech
Evaluate your current benefits and make sure they are attractive to women. Studies from SP Global found that over 50% of women consider the following crucial when searching for a new role:
- Flexible working
- Career progression
- Female leadership/role models
- Training and development
- Salary
Once you have implemented benefits that truly reflect the wants of female employees, promote these and showcase what a career in IT can look like- flexible, lucrative and rewarding.
Recruitment Process
Research conducted by LinkedIn found that women feel they need to meet 100% of the criteria when applying for a job whereas men apply on meeting just 60% of the criteria. Make this your starting point, evaluate your job description, and remove any unnecessary and off-putting criteria.
Other significant changes you can make include having a diverse interview panel, using gender neutral language and ensuring flexible interview arrangements.
This will attract more women to your company and ultimately diversify your workforce.
In Summary to attract women into IT:
- You must promote IT and STEM from an early age.
- Nurture a pipeline of graduate talent.
- Showcase the benefits of a career in tech.
- Ensure a bias-free recruitment process.
If you would like to find out on how to attract more diverse talent to your company why not get in touch and discuss your hiring needs with Hannah Quinn, Specialist Recruitment Consultant IT, h.quinn@mcsgroup.jobs.
