OPINION
TeesTalk
This year ’ s Tees Tech Awards again highlighted the lack of women working within the local digital sector . We asked eight prominent Tees tech females if they were concerned that the sector struggles to appeal to females and what needs to be done to tackle the issue …
MARGARET BRADSHAW , MANAGING DIRECTOR , MY MARKETING BUTTON The tech sector is so diverse and embraces everything from SEO to gaming and SaaS to animation – and that ’ s just the tip of the techberg !
As a newcomer to the sector myself , I have seen growth in the number of females in various roles within tech .
I think it ’ s just amazing to have a balance . However , the main focus has to be on skills , ability , vision , creativity and passion , which are qualities all genders can bring . For the sector to continue developing , it ’ s essential that there is total inclusivity .
JOANNE ROUT , KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER , ITS There are still prejudices about the type of person who works in this sector . Those from a different gender or background may need more confidence to study and apply for jobs .
We should be aware of our own biases , while leaders of organisations should have diversity on their agenda and consider training staff in unconscious bias .
When recruiting , be creative in advertising to ensure applications from diverse backgrounds and be transparent about development opportunities .
We can boost confidence by ensuring the visibility of successful role models and by speaking to school students about career options and our own experiences .
PHOEBE KIRKBY , HEAD OF COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT , VIRAL EFFECT The tech / digital sector has been dominated by men for a long time and , although a lot has changed , many people still fall back into old habits .
Being a young woman in this industry , I often find I have to work harder to reach my goals and gain recognition – because of this , I do sometimes doubt how appealing this sector is to women .
For this to change , people within the sector need to be more accepting of who they work beside . After all , the sector is one of the fastest-growing , but it needs to keep up with the ever-changing views of the world .
HELEN STEWART , MANAGING DIRECTOR , COLEWOOD INTERNET Tech and digital is very much a male-dominated industry but , having spent 17 years in the sector , I think there ’ s been a huge improvement in the number of females in more senior roles .
We need to do more to inspire females to dream big within our sector . I work with various organisations to show what ’ s possible in digital and show the various career paths for females .
It would be great to see other leaders promote females within their organisations and show that they have as much chance at a successful career as males do .
ABBY TAYLOR , CO-DIRECTOR , ABBY + OWEN My background is in graphic design , illustration , animation and websites . I think the digital sector is appealing to women , but it doesn ’ t always feel sustainable as a chosen career .
Statistically , women make up a substantial portion of creative students , but there ’ s a huge drop-off when it comes to staying in the industry .
The sector is systemically dominated by men . Speaking to other women – even directors – there are inequalities , including lower pay for the same job as their male counterparts , being spoken down to and often having nobody to go to about concerns .
It ’ s impossible to find a single , neat answer for such a complex societal issue , which isn ’ t specific to this sector either , but I ’ m optimistic things will continue to improve with a natural , gradual change .
DANIELLE CROCE , COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR , INTASITE Historically , the gender stereotype for the tech and digital sector has always been male , including famous role models within the industry . There has been a lack of female leaders in the tech sector for women to look up to and aspire to .
We need to educate students about technology from primary school and capture their interest and imagination from a very young age .
We have some unbelievable female talent that we need to harness and empower to be our next generation of tech leaders .
CAROLE KNOTT , HEAD OF OPERATIONS , ITS My concern is that this gender imbalance doesn ’ t just represent a missed opportunity for society but also for businesses . There ’ s growing evidence that having a more diverse workforce makes for a better business .
As well as having a negative effect on individuals and businesses , the gender gap also has implications for productivity and competitiveness . If half the population is overlooked or not attracted to technology , then the UK is effectively trying to compete with one hand tied behind its back . It ’ s vital that we build a strong pipeline of women into technology .
CHARLOTTE LINTON , ACCOUNT MANAGER , BETTER I ’ ve worked in the sector for nine years and only two female developers have applied for our main roles , but the industry is starting to appeal to more women .
The problem comes down to perceptions , although this is starting to change . Maybe the sector was seen as a little geeky but , in reality , roles vary greatly .
As a fast-growing digital cluster , we ’ re perfectly placed to inspire women into our workforce . Education providers can play their part but , as an industry , we must do more to shape skills and promote opportunities .
154 | Tees Business