TALKING

The Office of National Statistics ( ONS ) in the UK cites that 232,000 fewer women were employed in October – December 2020 compared with January – March 2020 , representing a fall of 1.5 %

stand out to them . A third of women said a company ’ s culture , how diverse they are and examples of equality would entice them to a role . Working from home was a constant theme throughout .

The next generation of female leaders

Crucially , there needs to be more successful women in leadership roles for young women to aspire to . According to Mckinsey , only 19 % of women hold leadership roles in the industry , with 15 % being CEOs . This is often cited as a reason why many young women choose not to go into tech .

It ’ s easy to name male role models such as Elon Musk , Mark Zuckerberg , Steve Jobs or Bill Gates . Female role models in business , on the other hand , don ’ t seem to roll off the tongue as quick . However , this is changing thanks to the likes of Gwynne Shotwell , President and COO of SpaceX , and Susan Wojcicki , CEO of YouTube . These women are paving the way for the next generation of aspiring women in the industry .

The current generation of women in tech could move the needle on female representation and be the catalyst that inspires young girls . But they can ’ t do it alone , there needs to be major changes in education systems around the world to encourage women into Science , Technology , Engineering and Mathematics ( STEM ) subjects . If there is to be a ‘ next generation ’, job attractiveness , opportunities and potential to grow need to be ingrained at an early age so that young girls can truly believe the sky ’ s the limit .

Reasons to remain positive

The representation of women – not only in tech , but in leadership roles – may not have progressed as fast as hoped but there is optimism for brighter days ahead . Events such as Women ’ s Voice , International Women ’ s Day , Women in Tech Week and Woman of the Year celebrate the outstanding contributions women make . Events like these present a chance for aspiring young girls to see role models and what possibilities are available in the future . p

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