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Girls Have IT: Women Sought for IT Jobs
May 18, 2005
by Edward Castro
ed.castro@hqpublications.com
Business Programs Columnist
According to a report from CIO Insight, only 7.8 percent of IT management under 40 is female. Even though the percentage of females in IT management positions rises to 16.4 percent over 40, it is obvious that fewer women are moving up the executive IT ranks than in the past.
So you'd like to go to finance school, but you're not quite sure what to focus on? There are a number of avenues, but some of the most common routes include financial management services and corporate financial management.
Financial Management Services and Corporate Financial Management
There are basically two emphases within the field of finance: financial management services and corporate financial management. While both require a solid background in economics and finance, the two areas are very different in their practical applications.
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Even as the world celebrated International Women's Day, management opportunities for women in IT careers seems to be shrinking. A big reason for the lack of female IT management professionals is that fewer young women are choosing to pursue an IT career. In fact, only 22 percent of all computer science and engineering undergraduate degrees went to women in 2000, according to the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA).
Women and Information Technology Degrees
While some might believe men are better suited to pursue an information technology degree that is far from the truth. Males are losing the battle of education, falling behind females at every level of education, from elementary school on up.
Today, nearly two million more women than men attend college, but less than one-quarter of IT students are female. Regardless of your gender, getting an information technology degree can lead to a great IT career.
Dressing Up An IT Career
A Carnegie Mellon University study showed that young women prefer to focus on how and why technology can improve our lives. Carnegie Mellon University is among a growing number of colleges that have increased the number of young women entering information technology degree programs by changing how computing courses are promoted and structured.
Helping Themselves
Colleges and Universities aren't the only ones looking to improve outlook for women seeking an information technology career. Recently ITWomen, an organization dedicated to the advancement and development of women in technology in South Florida, announced its first IT Women Charitable Foundation College Scholarship. Directed at women who wish to pursue a career in technology, the hope is that the scholarship program will equalize the opportunity for information technology jobs for women by promoting professional education and training for women entering the field.
IT Jobs: A Man's World?
According to ITAA, the proportion of women in the overall IT workforce dropped from 41 percent to 34.9 percent between 1996 and 2002. This downward trend has further shrunk the talent pool of younger women available to move into leadership positions. What makes these statistics worthy of note is that women with 20-29 years of experience in electronic technology and information technology fields have higher median incomes than men with similar levels of experience, according to the IEEE-USA's Salary & Fringe Benefit Survey, 2001 Edition.
Women with 20-24 years of experience earned $100,037 per year from primary sources, while men made $98,500. Women with 25-29 years received $107,000, while men earned $99,600.
IT Jobs can be a Woman's Work
For women looking for high paying jobs, low unemployment, and job satisfaction, an information technology degree can be a ticket into great career. Despite the slowdown of IT employment in the past, there are still thousands of unfilled IT jobs out there.
About the Author
Edward Castro has an extensive experience as a creative media writer. His client portfolio has included such notables as Hewlett-Packard, Sony Computer Entertainment, Shockwave, AtomFilms, GameBlast and Mervyn’s California. In his current position, Ed is developing the marketing strategy of an Internet start-up company specializing in Japanese trade goods.
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