A current PwC research discovered {that a} profession within the tech trade was a primary selection for simply 3% of feminine college students, and ladies solely make up for 22% of AI professionals. With the most recent wave of corporations scaling again on variety, fairness and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, ladies in tech discover themselves at a crossroads.
Does this sign the top of progress made thus far or a name to motion? This 12 months, the Worldwide Girls’s Day (March 8, 2025) theme is ‘Speed up motion for gender equality’. And we’re analyzing what’s at stake for girls in tech, how they’re pushing ahead regardless of shifting company priorities, and why true inclusion can’t be handled as a pattern.
Difficult the tech area
“I entered the tech trade to problem the outdated notion that it wasn’t an area for girls,” says Kate Shaw, senior product supervisor at IPaaS firm SnapLogic. Shaw firmly believes in making a aware effort to interrupt down the obstacles she confronted. “Actual progress comes from actively creating alternatives, difficult biases, and guaranteeing know-how is accessible to everybody. Worldwide Girls’s Day serves as a robust reminder that we should take decisive motion to empower ladies to steer, innovate, and form the way forward for know-how. There may be nonetheless work to be finished, and we should proceed pushing ahead to safe a seat on the desk — not only for ourselves, however for future generations.”
Stephanie Albertina-Wright, principal advisor on the international cybersecurity agency Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 shares an identical story. “All through my journey as a girl in tech I’ve confronted challenges, from imposter syndrome to unconscious bias from a small variety of people, the place I felt I used to be being pre-judged or not taken severely. However I’ve additionally had unimaginable help from colleagues who recognise the worth individuals convey to this subject — no matter their gender.”
Main by instance
Whereas expressing her concern on the anti-DEI motion within the US, Simone Mink, product operations lead at low-code software growth platform Mendix, known as the EU Pay Transparency Directive a step in the proper route. She emphasised the significance of taking swift and decisive steps. “We want extra ladies in tech, and leaders should lead by instance to deal with gender imbalances. We should act now to forestall setbacks and guarantee gender equality progresses. Subsequently, it’s essential to carry our corporations and governments accountable for advancing and safeguarding gender equality.”
Kams Narayan, director of product administration for APIM at SnapLogic agrees. She appears to be like at IWD as a possibility to have a good time the resilience, expertise, and management of girls who proceed to interrupt obstacles in industries historically seen as male-dominated. “It’s additionally a name to motion — to help, join, encourage and uplift the following technology whereas honouring the ladies who’ve frequently confirmed that expertise and management aren’t outlined by gender. The place expertise shortages persist, all of us should take an energetic function in mentoring and empowering extra ladies to step ahead with confidence. As Mahatma Gandhi mentioned: ‘Be the change you wish to see on this planet.’”
Creating inclusive workplaces and breaking obstacles
CFO on the workforce administration platform Deputy, Emma Seymour, pushes for making a office the place everybody can succeed. “IWD is a celebration of progress fuelled by purpose-driven management. As CFO right here at Deputy, I’m proud to have performed a task in main our firm to unicorn standing – not simply via monetary technique, however by championing various voices, fostering innovation, and shaping a tradition that empowers each workforce member,” says Seymour. “What makes me even prouder is being a part of a management workforce that’s 80% ladies and is enthusiastic about laying the foundations for the following technology of leaders in tech and finance. That basis is constructed via motion: embedding monetary literacy and profession growth at each stage, and guaranteeing our investments – in individuals, know-how, and applications are making a office the place everybody has the chance to develop, thrive, and succeed.”
To encourage extra younger ladies into know-how and cybersecurity, we’d like seen mentorship and trade engagement in colleges, says Seymour.
She provides: “It’s additionally useful to speak in regards to the nice reward schemes and packages which might be typically obtainable for a profession inside know-how and cybersecurity particularly, as these are usually superb in an effort to appeal to expertise and handle the trade’s vital expertise hole. Packages like CyberFirst from the Nationwide Cyber Safety Centre, which incorporates the CyberFirst ladies competitors, are nice stepping stones for sparking that curiosity. This can be a vastly rewarding and fascinating profession path with loads of alternatives, and there are organisations who will help a path to management and respect the significance of a piece life/household life stability. Feminine leaders on this trade, though restricted in numbers, are testomony to that.”
It’s all in regards to the stability
It’s essential to speed up motion whereas additionally recognising the significance of stability and self-care, reminds Charlotte Lucy Corridor, co-founder and CMO at Zinc, a platform offering background test providers for expertise and HR groups. “Girls carry so many tasks, for me it was main an organization, a primary time funding spherical, and navigating a troublesome being pregnant journey abruptly – and discovering time for myself was important to succeeding via all of that”, says Corridor. “Taking small moments for your self can assist to reset mentally and emotionally, guaranteeing that we will proceed to indicate up as our greatest selves, whether or not we’re leaders, companions, mother and father, colleagues or multi functional.”
On her journey balancing skilled success and motherhood, Grace Ensell, gross sales supervisor at Western Digital UK says: “I’m fortunate to have discovered a stability between my job and being a mom due to supportive teammates, associates, and household.
“To me, true equality is about creating an equitable atmosphere the place everybody has the identical alternatives and tasks of their careers and private lives. This isn’t to disregard the nonetheless current challenges confronted by ladies within the know-how trade, particularly these balancing skilled success with motherhood. We nonetheless have an extended approach to go to attain full gender equality, however I wish to encourage everybody to participate in it.”
Franziska Ferraz, VP of Media Proprietor Growth EMEA at Criteo, the digital promoting firm, echoes this sentiment. “Fierce prioritisation has turn into essential, and that is the place sturdy firm values and management could make an actual distinction,” she explains. “With the flexibleness and belief to carry out on each fronts, this tradition has enabled me to unlock alternatives and proceed to develop in my function.
“For me, inclusive cultures aren’t simply ‘good to have’ for organisations – they’re important catalysts for achievement. When everybody’s voice is really heard, the whole organisation thrives. My recommendation? Construct a sturdy help community, each inside and out of doors your organization, and don’t be afraid to personal your experience and achievements. You’ve earned your seat on the desk – now declare it.”
Photograph by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
Need to be taught extra about cybersecurity and the cloud from trade leaders? Try Cyber Safety & Cloud Expo happening in Amsterdam, California, and London.
Discover different upcoming enterprise know-how occasions and webinars powered by TechForge right here.
