Women in TechnologyInspiring the Next GenerationDerick CampbellDirector of EngineeringMicrosoft Research
(My inspiration: Jane Prey)
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Women in TechnologyAgenda
• Opportunity Ahead• Why a High Tech
Career?• Challenges for Women• The Business
Imperative• Inspiring the Next
Generation
Note: stats and research are US-based unless stated otherwise.
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But first – Who is this guy?Places of Work• Microsoft• Lucent Technologies• AT&T • Toronto Police
Services• Crown Life Insurance• AdScan• The Unicorn Pub• The Bombshelter• Chuck E. Cheese
Variety of Roles• Software Engineering
Management• Program Management• Product Marketing• Consulting Management• Consulting• IT Management• IT Architecture• Software Development• Helpdesk Technician• Data Entry Clerk• Bouncer• Pizza Chef, Pizza Delivery• Cartoon Rat
Canadian. IT veteran.Not a diversity expert.Father.
Video: New Data on the Rise of Women
Video thanks to:
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Grade Point Average in High School Mathematics and Science (Combined), by Gender, 1990–2005
Women Earn Higher GPAs in Math and Science
Opportunity Ahead
“The number of scientists and engineers in the U.S. workforce who are eligible for retirement will triple.”
— National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators, 2006
“By 2012 there will be a six million person gap between the number of college graduates and the number of people needed to cover job growth and replace retirees.”
— Employment Policy Foundation
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Why Consider a High Tech Career?
Government
Healthcare
Education
Manufacturing
Information Services
Financial
Insurance
Telecommunications
Computer Software Computer Services
Banking
Consulting
Retail
Aerospace/Defense
Any Industry
Anywhere
Any Personality Type
Many Educational Backgrounds
Brevity, Results
Outgoing, InteractiveCasual, Harmonious
Formal, Logical
BusinessEducation
Languages
Liberal arts
Humanities
Psychology
Social sciences
History
Mathematics
Science
Engineering
Any Time – Any Place
Technology
Flex Work
High tech companies are changing the world we live, work, and play
in
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• How do the largest US jobs compare to jobs in High Tech?
• Core Tech fields (STEM-D):• Science• Technology• Engineering• Math• Design
• Let’s use IT as one example
Salaries ComparedOccupation Annual mean wage
($US)
General and operations managers
110,550
Registered nurses 66,530
Elementary school teachers, except special education
53,150
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer
39,260
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
34,750
Customer service representatives
32,410
Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive
31,060
Office clerks, general 27,700
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
25,290
Retail salespersons 24,630
Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
24,120
Stock clerks and order fillers 23,460
Waiters and waitresses 20,380
Cashiers 19,030
Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food
18,120
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2009 Occupational Employment Statistics
Almost 35 million jobs, or over one-quarter of U.S. employment, are found in these 15 largest occupations.
12 of the largest 15 occupations earn less than any average profession in IT.
IT Positions Salary ($US)
CIO 136,600
IT Director 100,900
IT Consultant 96,300
Project Manager 93,200
IT Project Manager 90,500
IT Manager 88,200
Computer Software Engineer 81,600
Database Administrator 81,000
Business Analyst 79,900
Systems Engineer 78,200
Network Engineer 77,700
IT Supervisor 77,000
IT Analyst 67,700
IT Specialist 65,200
Systems Administrator 65,200
IT Administrator 63,100
Computer Security Specialist 59,200
Network Administrator 58,700
IT Technician 49,300
Help Desk Support 46,500
Source: 2009 IT Skills and Salary Report from Global Knowledge and TechRepublic.
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“IT jobs will be among the fastest-growing and highest-paying over the next decade.”
- U.S. Department of Labor prediction
Challenges for WomenIt’s an imperfect world
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• Stereotyping• Gender bias• Less women pursue high tech careers• Fewer women in executive positions
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Stereotyping in Action
If told a boy was hitting another boy:• Adults did not
disapprove• “Boys will be boys”
If told a boy was hitting a girl, or a girl was hitting anyone:• Adults gave a
negative response
Adults are shown a photo* of a child throwing a snowball at another child.
* Not this photo Photo credit: Dean Shareski (Flickr)
Other examples:
Women as IT Entrepreneurs: Heidi Roizen, A Case Study from Columbia Business School• BA and MBA from Stanford
• VP at Apple Computer
• Venture capitalist, Managing Director of Mobius VC
• Co-founder of T/Maker Company (software company founded in 1983, acquired in 1994) and SkinnySongs
• Students receive identical case studies identified with the name Heidi Roizen or Howard Roizen
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Gender Bias in the Real World• Even today’s youth can
be uncomfortable when women don’t conform to standard gender roles• The “backlash” effect
• The effect is reduced when you know someone personally
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Less Women Pursue STEM Careers
Why so few women?• Classroom
climate• Lack of role
models• Lack of
encouragement• Loss of
confidence• Bias and
stereotypes• Gender
differences in attitude toward STEM surface in middle school
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Fewer Women in Executive Positions
• Women make up just 1 in 10 top paid executives
• Only 1 in 5 Board Members are women• Of the 100 CEOs in the survey, 92 were
Caucasian males.— Examining the Cracks in the Ceiling: A Survey of Corporate Diversity Practices of the S&P 100
Study by:
Women in Leadership Positions: High Tech
Industry
The Business ImperativeWomen Make Teams and Business Stronger
• Innovation suffers without diversity
• Diverse businesses are more successful
• High tech employers are responding to the needs of women
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Innovation Suffers Without Diversity
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Diverse Businesses are More Successful
“Measured as a percent of revenues, profits at Fortune 500 firms that most aggressively promoted women were 34 percent higher than industry medians.”
Pepperdine University, 2001 study
“European firms with the highest proportion of women in power saw their stock value climb by 64 percent over two years, compared with an average of 47 percent.”
McKinsey and Company, 2007 study
“Teams with equal numbers of women and men were more likely to experiment, be creative, share knowledge, and fulfill tasks.”
London Business School, Innovative potential: Men and women in teams.
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High Tech Employers are Responding to the Needs of Women
• Growing strong mentoring cultures
• Diversity awareness training
• Offering transparent career paths
• Flexible work arrangements• Special hours• Part-time• Shared jobs• Work from home
options
• Career ladders career lattices
• Family benefits• Childcare• Family leave
• Commitment to career returns
• Increased business focus on social impact
• Men benefit too!
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Summary• Woman have become the
majority of the workforce• Women control the majority
of spending• Women earn more degrees
(57%)• Millions of jobs for college
grads are opening as baby boomers retire
• Women do better in math and science
• STEM-D careers offer:• Higher salaries• Diverse industries and
locations• Greater work flexibility• Opportunity for worldwide
impact
• Plus - high tech business needs more women• Evolving to attract them
• However:• Women don’t pursue high
tech degrees and careers as much as men
• Fewer women hold executive positions
• Our girls are influenced by gender bias, stereotypes, limited role models and more…
How can we, as parents, affect this?
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Inspiring The Next GenerationCall To Action
• It all starts with us –parents!• Watch for gender
bias and stereotypes• We do it, others too• Understand and
mitigate
• Encourage higher education• Discuss careers in
STEM-D• R&D is really cool!
• Bring home heroines• Wear gender glasses• Talk about sexism and
gender bias
• Be a source of encouragement and inspiration
• Nurture participation in technical activities and groups
• Most important: • Be the role model
they need us to be!
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Recommended ReadingRaising Kids, Careers, Women and Technology
Video: I Am A Technical Woman
Video thanks to:
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AppendixA Few Award Winning Technical Women