Is High-tech Leaving Women Behind?

With personal computers, cell phones, Blackberry’s and iPods, it seems there’s no stopping the world from going high-tech. The question is: are women coming along for the ride?

The U.S. Department of Labor’s most recent report revealed that while high-tech jobs over the past decade have seen considerable growth, the gender disparity has remained higher than in the majority of the corporate world.

The surge of software, wireless and Internet technologies has created an entirely new labor pool. But it goes beyond computers and cell phones. Workers with backgrounds in engineering, math and science are also considered to have technology-oriented jobs. A study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics concluded that by this year, there would be 21.5 million American workers performing high-tech jobs. And by the year 2014, network systems and data communication analysts are projected to increase by 55%, the second fastest growing occupation behind home health care aides.

According to statistics published by Labor Dept. report, women made up just 1 in 10 engineers and 2 of 10 engineering technologists and technicians. The numbers were higher in the computer field, with women representing 3 out of every 10 systems analysts. Female scientists also made up 30% of their field.

So, what does all this mean for women? It means the opportunity is there, but is the interest? Technology has been stereotyped as a field that’s for geeks and is far from being glamorous. But is the disparity caused by women’s lack of interest in the disciplines normally associated with the high-tech industry or is it related to a corporate culture and work-life issues. Experts agree that it’s a combination of both.

“Stories of women’s lack of representation in the technology field abound,” says Cindy Royal, an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who held positions at Compaq Computer and NCR Corporation. “The ouster of Carly Fiorina [in 2005] as Chief Executive Officer of Hewlett Packard has brought increased attention to the death of women technology executives.”

The Fiorina story stood out in business circles because she was one of the few top executives running a major technology corporation. The industry has fewer women than the broader corporate world, according to the 2005 Spencer Stuart Silicon Valley index. The survey reported that of the high-tech companies surveyed, just 11% had two women in board seats, compared to 88% of companies in the S&P 500 having at least one woman director.

When fewer women are seen in leadership roles, it’s bound to have an adverse affect on recruiting more women into the world of technology. Experts conclude that in order to break down barriers developing talent, mentoring, networking and creating environments that relate to women’s work-life sensibilities are necessary to reverse the trend.

Royal, who has studied the effects of the Internet on communication and culture, said in her 2005 article that the socialization of women toward high-tech has to start early.

“A parallel strategy might be to increase the offering of technical skills in disciplines ‘where the girls are’ … or those in which women are already highly represented, such as communications, liberal arts and library science,” said Royal.

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By Teena Rose

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