How lockdowns can provide new opportunities for women in tech

The technology sector is experiencing constant innovative change, however, even whilst going from strength to strength, there is still one setback: women remain underrepresented.

There is an increasing demand for ICT related skills in the EU, yet women are reluctant to get involved with tech. Despite the fact that an increased female workforce would provide an estimated 16 billion GDP economic boost, men still considerably outweigh women in the field. The tech industry has one of the largest gender-gaps in Europe, with women equating for just 34 percent of European STEM graduates and only 17 percent of European ICT specialists.

While these figures may not come as too much of a surprise, the reality is that whilst gender roles are less rigid than they were, women are still the primary caregivers for children and relatives, therefore achieving a work/life balance in any sector can be difficult.

This could be one of the reasons why fewer women get involved with tech. In 2018, for instance, 33 percent of employed European women had a work interruption for childcare reasons compared with just 1.3 percent of men.

Women are set to feel the effects of COVID-19 on employment and recruitment far heavier than men, some reports have suggested. What is crucial in these circumstances is that women need to be supported instead of being allowed to feel the brunt of job insecurity.

With the effects of the pandemic shifting towards remote and flexible working, many employers have now been made aware that individuals can still work well even with a less conventional working routine.

Whilst this change doesn’t eradicate the barriers between women and the sector, the wider acceptance and adoption of remote working could make it easier for women to build a career in technology. For women previously struggling to access more senior roles in ICT due to commitments at home, perhaps greater working flexibility could be exactly what they need.

In the last few months alone, new technology has created opportunities with everything from 5G driverless vehicles, to remote COVID-19 health monitoring. With more women entering the sector, who knows what further innovation this could bring to the table.

Despite the negative connotations that may be associated with lockdowns, the opportunities within ICT that could be made available for women are also very valuable. The world of technology cannot afford to miss out on the female perspective.

So whilst industries may be struggling, in reality there’s been no greater time to get involved with tech.