More women in IT

The number of women in IT is low, very low. In the Netherlands only 14% of IT workers are women. So we can say that the workplace is dominated by men. But why are so few women working in this sector? And what can we do to attract more women in IT?

Few girls choose a technical education

The basis of the deficiency is laid when choosing a study program. Unfortunately, it appears that girls are less likely to opt for a technical education. That while girls, contrary to what they sometimes think, often have a talent for STEM subjects.

The choice of a field of study is in many cases influenced by prejudices, (gender stereotyped) influences from the environment and the lack of role models. But also because of a limited image of study programs and professions in science and technology.

The biases of the IT sector

The IT sector is facing a major image problem. Among young people, but especially among women. That the sector is a man’s world is partly true. Good education is crucial to tackle this problem. By showing girls and women what functions there are within IT. The use of role models contributes to the sharing of experiences.

In addition, the focus is no longer just on hard skills. There is an increasing need for so-called soft skills, such as good communication skills, empathy and a focus on cooperation and intuition.

Forget the stereotype IT professional who spends all day behind his screen and only gets up for coffee and pizza. Nowadays software development is done in multidisciplinary teams that work closely together and consult a lot. And even communicate directly with customers and colleagues. Women usually have a natural predisposition for this and that can be an important asset.

Full-time vs. part-time

Within IT, working full-time is often still the norm. However, by young people in particular, more and more emphasis is placed on a good work-life balance. And women also usually have a greater need for more flexibility. They use this to organize their work-life balance.

By moving away from full-time working weeks and offering flexibility, an employer becomes more interesting for women. And it is more likely that women will be attracted tot he job.

A vacancy text that attracts women

Vacancy texts are judged differently by men and women. For example, women prefer terms such as specialist to expert or find the word development more attractive than management. Also adding “masculine” words like hero, rockstar or ninja does not appeal to women.

It is striking that a woman only applies when she meets 80 – 90% of the job requirements. Men, on the other hand, already apply at 50%. By focusing only on the most important requirements in the vacancy text, women can respond more quickly.

IT professions where there are opportunities for women

These women are needed IT professions that, according to the UWV, will be needed at higher vocational and university level in the coming years:Designer industrial automation

– Programmer

– Tester

– Web developer (including Java, .net, script languages)

– IT account manager

– Business analyst

– Security specialist

– IT project manager

G-Nius helps you find a job in IT

Are you looking for a new challenge within IT? At G-Nius we are happy to help you find a position that suits your knowledge, skills and preferences.

Do you want to know what we can do for you? Please feel free to contact us via +31 (0) 73 610 14 69 or mail to info@g-nius.nl.

*Figures from ICTergezocht en UWV Factsheet arbeidsmarkt ict 2019