Why firms must combat female aversion to IT

A new report commissioned by The Council of Professors and Heads of Computing in the UK (CPHC) warns that a decline in the number of UK students studying technology could have damaging repercussions for the economy.

A Study on the IT Labour Market in the UK reveals a widening gap between the number of people completing higher education technology courses and the number of vacant IT posts within UK organisations. It found that the number of IT graduates had fallen by almost 17 per cent between 2004 and 2007 to its lowest level since 2002. Meanwhile, the IT labour market is expected to grow by almost 200,000 posts by 2016, leading the study authors to warn of a high likelihood of skills shortages impacting technology projects over the coming years.

But do UK organisations really have to go through the trauma of yet another IT skills crisis? Rob Chapman, the chief executive of IT education company Firebrand Training, believes this fate could be averted if the industry did more to shake off its reputation of being dominated by men. He said the sector suffers because most female graduates find careers in IT unattractive. This view is likely to be reinforced by a recent survey of women already working in the sector by networking portal Womenintechnology, which found that 41 per cent of respondents have no confidence in their ability to pursue a long career in IT.

Some respondents were unsure of what career paths would be open to them, and could not say whether a move into middle management was likely. Just under two-thirds said that they did not have a clear vision of where their career would take them. “I know where I would like to be but I’m not sure how to get there,” said one respondent.

Chapman said the main reason why so few women consider IT careers is that there is a widespread misconception that the work is highly complex and only suitable for geeks.

“This image problem is created by two things: the industry and the media. The industry is at fault because of the way it shrouds itself in mystery, making IT look like something of a black art,” he said. “Meanwhile, the media stereotypes IT workers as beardy-wierdy sandal wearers with BO. It doesn’t have to be like that. The law is not a fantastically exciting working environment, but you get television shows like LA Law that make it look glamorous. We get Channel 4’s The IT Crowd and a great deal of negative stereotyping.”

Chapman argued that the lack of women in technology-related roles is doubly unfortunate because females tend to have many of the attributes that make for a successful IT career.

“There is a danger in making sweeping generalisations about anyone, but when I think of the key skills needed in a modern IT role, many of them apply to women,” he said. “Think about a project manager: they have to be out there speaking to people, they have to be personable, they have to be able to work in teams and be creative, and women do tend to be more organised.”

Maggie Berry, director of Womenintechnology, agreed that the image the IT industry projects does create problems, but added that these were not insurmountable. “There are some fantastic jobs in IT that are well paid, varied and interesting. It is a shame that few women realise this,” she said.

Other concerns highlighted in the Womenintechnology survey, which was conducted at the recent How to Get Ahead in IT event, revolved around the issue of maternity leave, with some respondents worried that they would have difficulty in returning to work after having a baby. However, Chapman said new technologies, as well as employment legislation, meant these fears were unfounded. IT roles are incredibly suited to home working, he said, making it relatively easy for women to balance the demands of work and motherhood.

“IT roles are often not office- or time-based, and in fact I often think that some people would get more done at home, without all the distractions in the office,” Chapman said. “Of course, returning to work after having a family has its challenges, and although I am not a big fan of over-legislating, I can see how rules [regarding maternity leave] can help.”

However, Berry pointed out that while IT roles lend themselves to flexible working, many companies remain wedded to an office-bound culture. She said that in many firms, line managers do not have the skills or experience necessary to manage remote workers.

Berry argued that this failure to provide women with both a clear career path and job flexibility is not only deterring women from entering the sector, but is also causing those already in IT roles to quit the industry. “Firms spend so much money hiring people, they should put as much effort into retaining them. If you want to keep the women that you have, you should provide them with an idea of what their future might bring,” she said.