The rise of women working in Tech and STEM

According to the 2024 State of Girls and Women in STEM report, women in the USA make up 48% of the overall workforce. However, women constitute only 35% of the STEM workforce. Zooming in on the percentage of women working in tech, the numbers are higher than ever before.

Back in the early 2000s, women made up only 9% of the tech workforce. Today, based on the NGCP’s report, 26% of women work in the field of computer and mathematical sciences, with 16% in engineering. Looking at Europe, women make up 19% of the ICT workforce based onEurostat 2021.

Now, what about major tech companies? What role do they play in the rise of women working in tech and STEM? I'm glad you asked, because the next portion of the article is dedicated to statistics for women in tech and STEM in major tech companies.‍

Women in tech and STEM statistics: Major tech companies

In major tech companies, we observe substantial growth in women professionals. At Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Google, and Microsoft, the number of female employees ranges from 29% to 45% (Women in Tech Stats 2024). At Amazon, almost half of the workforce comprises women professionals.

How do things look at leadership positions in the tech industry? We see that women are making progress towards closing the gender gap in leadership positions as well. Women leaders in major tech companies make up between 26% and 34%.

Men vs. women in tech industry and STEM

Everything starts with education. Socially, throughout history, there has been a gender divide in areas of work. While arts and humanities would often be categorized as women's areas of work, STEM fields would be associated with men.

Girls significantly outperform boys in reading (OECD 2019). In contrast, there is no overall major difference in the scores in math or other science subjects. However, in 14 countries and economies, girls outperform boys in maths. Considering the stats, girls shouldn't have any knowledge gap when applying to STEM universities.

If we look at the history, young women weren’t encouraged to apply for tech and STEM universities. Things have changed. Today, there are many programs and initiatives empowering young women to take on tech careers. For example, Intel launched two different programs to attract more young women into STEM fields.

In collaboration with U.S. State Department and the United Nations Foundation, Intel created Girl Up Women in Science (WiSci). Program aims to close the gender gap in STEM fields. It offers an access to education, mentorship opportunities and leadership training to young women. Within the program, they’ve organised STEM camps in Rwanda, Estonia, Namibia and other countries.

Their other program called She Will Connect, launched the Million Girls Moonshot. Mentioned initiative is designed to bridge the science and engineering gender gap by engaging one million schoolgirls in STEM learning opportunities over five years across all 50 U.S. states.

There are many other examples of companies that are encouraging more women to join the tech and STEM careers. See how companies are creating more women friendly workplaces in tech.

Initiatives answering: How to hire more women in tech and STEM?

Looking at history, there has been a significant rise in the women workforce in tech and STEM. However, as mentioned before, there is still a considerable gender gap. To close this gap, many tech companies are changing their company policies, culture, and workspaces.

Explore tech companies' responses to the question of how to hire more women in tech and STEM.

1. Solving recruitment bias in tech and STEM

Women face more challenges than men when applying for jobs, and in male-dominated fields, the hurdles are even greater. Approximately 65% of recruiters acknowledge the presence of bias in tech recruitment (Women in Tech Stats 2024).

Changing recruitment practices is contributing to hiring more women in tech. Tech companies are investing in educating and training their recruitment staff.

For instance, they are revisiting how they write and frame their job ads, placing more emphasis on skills and minimizing the use of gendered language in job descriptions. Tech companies are implementing standardized interview processes and blind resume reviews to mitigate bias.

The entire recruitment process has been reinvented, with job ads becoming more inviting and inclusive, resulting in the hiring of professionals with diverse backgrounds and skill sets.

2. Creating workplace culture for women in tech and STEM

More women executives than their male counterparts would consider changing jobs for a workplace with DE&I policies. Creating an inclusive workplace culture is now a top priority for every company.

In the past couple of years, tech companies have intensified their focus on improving their DE&I policies and practices. They are conducting training sessions on DE&I in collaboration with their HR teams and external experts. Additionally, employees are encouraged to propose DE&I policies.

There's a growing emphasis on awareness and education within HR departments. Companies are investing in creating safe workplaces and establishing procedures for addressing incidents. There's an increase in surveys and one-on-one talks, with employees actively encouraged to express their ideas for improvement and play an active role in creating a workplace culture.

3. Defining career advancements for women in tech and STEM

Over 65% of women in tech have expressed a lack of a defined career advancement route at their current organizations. Outlining and providing equal career advancement opportunities for women in tech is imperative. There's nothing less motivating than working without a clear goal.

More companies are now establishing clear plans for promotion opportunities. Additionally, there's a growing awareness of in-house hiring practices. Before hiring for mid-level and senior positions, companies are prioritizing in-house talent.

With the implementation of these practices, women have more opportunities for career advancement, avoiding being overlooked.

4. Adopting flexible working arrangements for hiring more women in tech and STEM

One of the top three priorities for women when applying for tech jobs is flexibility. In contrast, their male counterparts don't base their decision on flexibility. More than half of women in tech, media, and telecom will quit their jobs within two years due to poor work-life balance.

Companies are missing out on high-quality tech and STEM female talent solely because of the lack of flexibility. There's a growing trend of a flexible work schedule and remote work. Tech companies are embracing remote work, and offices are gradually becoming a thing of the past. By rethinking their working arrangements, they've attracted more women in tech and STEM.

In general, remote work is changing the world of work. It provides more time for employees to take care of their bodies and mental health. Remote work is especially important for women with painful periods, allowing them to work from the comfort of their home (while wearing sweatpants).

Other ideas to promote hiring more women in tech and STEM

As mentioned earlier, there are fewer women applying for tech and STEM courses. Companies are employing various strategies to encourage more women to pursue careers in tech and STEM:

• Introducing scholarships for women in tech or STEM in general. Offering scholarships helps companies connect with talented women in the desired field.
• Furthermore, companies are organizing summer schools or paid internships aimed at young women. This approach ensures that young women gain the knowledge and skills they need. In return, companies have the opportunity to hire more women in tech and STEM once they've completed their education.
• Many tech companies are reaching out to schools and universities for guest lectures. Women in tech and STEM companies, especially in leadership positions, can be a great inspiration for young women. Moreover, companies host events to highlight challenges and benefits for women in tech.

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