Why
IT's such a great career choice
The Information Technology industry
offers immensely rich and varied careers - not
just for the male graduates who continue to dominate
the industry, but for women with science, maths,
engineering and technology degrees.
At IBM, for instance, women graduates
are involved in innovative research and development
projects that will impact everyday life. They
are working on advanced technologies in our laboratories
and they are helping to make businesses more successful
by taking these innovations through to the marketplace.
In fact IBM Research labs have spawned six Nobel
prize winners in the last three decades.
Importantly, many of the skills
that some women tend to naturally possess, are
exactly the skills we need. These include such
traits as intuitive thinking, the ability to work
collaboratively, and really listening to what
clients want.
Meanwhile, the British Computer
Society also tells us that at GCSE & A level,
girls are twice as successful as boys in IT, so
the challenge for major employers like IBM is
to find ways to attract and retain women.
Having recognised that girls tend
to make career choices fairly early on, IBM has
pioneered a range of initiatives that continue
through nursery schools to key stages of education.
These include workshops, called EXITE ( Exploring
Interests in Technology and Engineering) which
focus on the fun side of maths and science, run
by volunteers who provide excellent role models
for the next generation of women graduates.
In 2004, IBM became the first
company to win a new British Computer Society
Award that applauds employers who are improving
career opportunities in IT for women. The Department
of Trade and Industry also praised our use of
high profile female role models to enhance recruitment,
and the mentoring process we have adopted to boost
the careers of women with potential.
Our Women in Technology programme
also helps girls see the huge variety of jobs
open to them if they continue to study maths and
science. As the CBI recently pointed out, opting
for a career in these higher paid sectors is helping
to close the nationwide pay gap between men and
women.
Clearly, one of the reasons we
are so keen to attract female - and male - graduates
is that we want to recruit the best, but there
are other compelling business reasons. With the
number of women-owned business increasing dramatically,
we need to ensure that our workforce reflects
the business world we live in.
We also know that diversity in
our teams, with the different perspectives and
backgrounds that brings, enhances creativity and
innovation. So by encouraging more women graduates
to grasp the career opportunities the IT industry
offers, everyone wins - the graduates themselves,
the organisations that employ them, and - ultimately
- the clients we serve.
Helena Pugsley
Software Solutions Team Leader,
IBM UK Ltd & SETNET
Science and Engineering Ambassador
Science / Engineering courses / colleges |
