Andrea Walsh, the CIO of Isentia, has 20 years experience in tech. Here, she write an open letter to women asking them to learn code:
At last count there was more than 6,500 languages spoken in the
world, yet there is one that unites us all: code. If there is a single
piece of career advice I would give to any young girl (or woman for that
matter) it would be, unequivocally, to learn how to code.
I am fortunate enough to be one of the few female CIO’s in Australia
and I would love to be surrounded by more women. The problem is, the
pipeline is a little thin. This is not only disappointing for the
industry, it is a travesty for those women who are missing out on being a
part of one of the most exciting, challenging and exhilarating
industries there is to work in.
Technology is the great accelerator the 21st century.
Cloud computing, tablets and smartphones have already transformed how we live and work, but the best is yet to come.
We are on the cusp of a technological revolution.
Soon eye-tracking technology will allow us to control tablet devices
with a simple eye movement. We will arrive at work in driverless cars.
Smartphones will evolve from mobile computers to revolutionary devices
with integrated laser that will turn flat surfaces into touchscreens and
with built-in GPS systems so accurate they will measure to the closest
centimetre. Before long every family will have their own 3D printing
with the ability to custom design everything from iPhone cases to
ornaments.
At a time when the tech industry is exploding, sadly there are
virtually no women coming through the ranks. Each year IT advisory firm
Gartner conducts the world’s largest CIO survey to track senior IT
leaders around the globe. Disappointingly, the percentage of women CIO’s
recorded in the survey has remained largely static since 2004.
This is more than just a little distressing. It is bad for the industry, and even worse for the economy.
We know intuitively that diversity matters and research has affirmed
this thinking time and time again. For example, in 2015 McKinsey
published the Diversity dividend
highlighting that gender-diverse companies are 15% more likely to
outperform others. Perhaps even more interesting to note is that half of
the companies listed in the Fortune 10 are women. With technology now
an integral of any businesses’ success, surely this healthy
representation of women in leadership and obvious return is no
coincidence?
As a woman passionate about the contribution females make to the
industry, I am heartened by this promise of progress with the big
players. But we still have a long way to go. If the industry as a whole
does not change, it won’t reach it’s full potential
Firstly, we need to start engaging future female CIO’s now. My daughter is eight and she is already learning to code.
So should every other 8 year old girl in the country. Digital
literacy should be as important as any other form of literacy. We need
to generate a movement like Michelle Obama’s #builtbygirls campaign in
the US, where all young girls are encouraged to engage with technology
early and stay ‘hooked’. We need to make sure coding is no longer
relegated to the domain of boys.
We also need to ensure that women in the industry are remunerated appropriately.
The good news is, as far as other industries go the tech sector is faring considerably well. A 2016 report showed
that women in technology are paid 8% less than their male counterparts.
While parity is still yet to be achieved this is a significant
milestone for the industry when across all sectors the national gender pay gap sits at around 16%.
If the industry can see the value women bring and we are bridging the
gap in payscales at a much faster rate than other sector, why are we
attracting so few women into the field? Campaigner for women in tech,
Melinda Gates, has defined the problem as a ‘the leaky pipehole’ that
sees females veer away from a technology career pathway as they move
through primary school, high school, University and then into the
industry. In the US, 57% of professional occupations are held by women,
however females are represented in just 25% of computing jobs. In Australia it’s a similar story. A study from Professionals Australia reported 28% female representation in all science, technology, engineering and mathematics-related professions.
Although it is clear that we have a problem on our hands, we have
many reasons to remain optimistic. Women like Gates and her comrades –
Sheryl Sandberg, Marissa Meyer and Diane Green – are all working to
encourage more women into the field. Then there are groups like FITT,
a tremendous not-for-profit organisation solely focused on inspiring
more women to achieve their career aspirations in technology through
strong peer networking programs to guide young women coming through the
ranks. I am also buoyed the growing number of girls opting to study STEM
at school. Here in NSW for by example, the girls studying either maths or science
increased from 5.4% in 2001 to 14.6% in 2014, while the level for boys
has only risen from 2.1% to 5.9%. But there’s still work to do.
As a woman who has been fortunate enough to enjoy an enduring,
challenging and meaningful career in tech despite the unfavourable odds,
I am extremely passionate about seeing other women benefit from the
technology explosion and embark on a career in what I can only describe
as one of the most exciting, well-paid and sustainable sectors there is.
If you are lucky enough to work in this exciting industry, please
share your stories of success with our girls and inspire them. Keeping
them engaged will help us achieve the diversity in thinking needed to
use technology to solve some of the greatest problems.
Next time a girl asks you for career advice, please share that the secret to future success is simple: learn to code.
Best,
Andrea Walsh, CIO, Isentia
Original published on : Women Love Tech
Marketing Specialist – Lead Gen at Isentia
Louise is an experienced content marketing professional who translates Isentia’s marketing strategy into impactful and effective marketing campaigns across multiple channels. As the Lead Gen Marketing Specialist for Isentia, Louise enjoys creating informative and engaging content for media and communications professionals.
