If you work with technology, empower a woman!
I never lose. I either win or learn! -Nelson Mandela
March 8, International Women’s Day, is set aside to reflect on our struggle for economic, social and labor equality, but above all, to celebrate what has already been achieved and what is to come.
I have been preparing myself emotionally and technically to be a successful technology professional. I have spent 17 years working in this fascinating market. However, we still have a long way to go, especially when we look at technology.
We know that this area is far from being transformed. Gender inequality is a trademark of technology, and gender equality is 170 years away from where we are now. In 2016, the WEF (World Economic Forum) report changed its forecast from previous years, when it had anticipated the world would achieve gender equality by 2095. This means that I, as a mother of four children, one boy and three girls who will change the world, feel extremely motivated and optimistic about the reversal of this scenario, even if I don’t live to see parity.
I am a software engineer and I am in the minority. Just 19% of people working in the STEM fields (acronym for the four areas of knowledge: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) are women.
So, why does that matter? Why should we care?
In 2019, we will have a deficit of 449,000 professionals to fill technology positions throughout Latin America. Software engineers are responsible for some of the biggest technology advances around the world and in our society. They’ve contributed to things like medical discoveries, global warming solutions, and some of the main technologies that are significantly changing our lives.
Considering that over half of the Brazilian population is female, we deserve a female perspective. Every woman has a story to tell about facing fear and finding the courage to overcome it. My best story happened when I found everis. everis was the company I chose to work for. I am an agile coach here because the company creates an environment of respect for differences.
As a founder of a social startup called ‘Mais Mulheres na TI’ (More Women in IT), a lean programming learning business, today I stopped to ask myself how women are faring in the technological revolution. The data is alarming. According to the World Economic Forum, seven million jobs will be transformed by 2025, where 57% are positions filled by women, the minority in technology.
Of the five most desired undergraduate programs, the top three that will be impacted are law, education and administration, the most popular courses for women. Regardless of an individual’s motivation, achieving success is possible, even with the market’s challenges.
Working with technology steers us toward changing this whole story. We must do everything we can to encourage young women to become the next generation of engineers, developers, leaders and entrepreneurs.
I am happy to be part of an organization that supports such a worthy cause and that challenges us to make our organization more diverse by encouraging causes that help reduce this gap. So, if your dream is to work with technology, look for an organization with a culture of respect and equality.
If you work with technology, empower a woman.
An empowered woman is able to inspire other women to follow the same example.
Congratulations to the devoted women working to make the world a better place!
