Closing the tech gender gap

Society must nurture girls’ curiosity in computers so they’ll become women who conquer careers in technology

Technology is for nerds, geeks . . . boys. That’s the underlying belief when it comes to talking about girls in technology.

By Marla Williams Rocky Mountain News

Technology, for many young women entering the work force, is not even a consideration. Why? The image of women in technology conjures isolation and impossibility. It conjures pocket protectors and thick glasses. We imagine work in a cubicle. Alone.

This view starts at a very young age thanks in large part to our beloved childhood pastime – playing with toys. Out of the thousands of computer games on the market, less than 100 are geared toward girls, therefore subtly but succinctly fostering exclusion. Our perspective is further solidified as young and mature adults in the work place. The corporate environment is inundated with men – men who are both highly profiled and highly paid. These societal norms send the message loud and clear: Technology is no place for a woman.

Yet many young women, upon graduating high school, do better in math and science then their male counterparts. It appears that counselors, teachers and even parents don’t have enough information on high-tech careers for women. So encouraging one of their own to enter the field never occurs – not out of malice, but simply out of ignorance.

Technology is the fastest-growing market in Colorado. Nearly one out of every 10 jobs in our state is linked to technology. With our colleges and universities granting more engineering degrees then ever before, it would make sense that women would be players in the field. According to 2002 Progressive Policy Institute, Colorado ranks an impressive fourth in the New Economy Index. This ranking, determined by our access to venture capital, technology programs in schools, and the number of highly-skilled jobs in Colorado, should result in females at least approaching a more equal representation.

And Colorado is closing the gap on pay disparity between male and female colleagues. Women in technology make 81 cents on the dollar. This is considerably higher than the nationwide average of 73 cents on the dollar. Women in high tech earn approximately $58,000 annually. In addition to high pay, many tech companies offer day care, wellness centers, flexible schedules, and spectacular benefits. Even more appealing, women have a greater likelihood of being promoted once they actually take the leap into technology, comparatively speaking.

So why are only one-fourth of all high-tech jobs in Colorado held by women? Technology is for nerds, geeks . . . boys.

While great salaries, competitive benefits, promotion opportunities, and high-status positions are compelling, dropout rates, lack of support, and the nerdy image leads to the lack of female representation. Colorado is 47th in high school completion rates. Girls that do graduate aren’t encouraged to pursue high-tech careers. Men still seem to hold the cards in the field, and the glass ceiling is ever-present.

The Women’s Foundation of Colorado is determined to make some changes. The "HighTech: Low Numbers – Imagine Women in Technology" conference held in August was a step up the technological ladder. Individuals from high-tech companies, nonprofit organizations and learning institutions joined forces at this event to dissect the image problem and begin solving it.

Technology is the language for the future. It’s our job to teach women how to speak that language. We need to nurture girls’ curiosity with computer, science and math courses. We need to change the stereotypical image that woman are meant for the soft sciences. It’s time we built a realistic future for women in technology.

Marla Williams is president and chief executive officer for The Women’s Foundation of Colorado. She can be reached at [email protected] or (303)832-8800.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/business_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_82_1459854,00.html