Women Are Not Getting A Fair Deal In The It Industry

New research by MORI for Cheltenham Ladies' College shows that women are not getting on as they should be in the IT industries. Of the IT companies included in the research on average a quarter (24%) of IT positions are held by women. This decreases to about one in eight (13%) of senior management positions.

However, this does not appear to be due to a lack of interest in the industry. 60% of a representative sample of women say they find new technologies exciting, and we know that the gender gap is closing when it comes to using the internet and computers.

Furthermore, IT employers say key criteria for new recruits to this field are the ability to communicate outside the world of IT, be a team player and be flexible: qualities they (and many others) immediately think of as women's strengths.

But, both the women who are already working in this area and employers in IT companies agree that men are more attracted than women to careers in IT (74% and 72% respectively).

When recruiting staff, employers say that in addition to the above qualities, they look for quick learners, problem solvers, and people with initiative - qualities they do not spontaneously associate with women. Are their perceptions valid?

The work for the Ladies' College also reveals an interesting paradox: employers think they offer women a good reward package, and career and personal development.

However, the women MORI interviewed felt that they were not being offered these things. Why does this difference exist? Perhaps women are just expecting too much, or perhaps, in a predominantly male industry, employers do not know what their female staff are looking for in their careers.

Are women more attracted to more predictable career paths?

Perhaps underlying these issues, are other questions: why do so few women take IT or computing at University? Why could/should schools do to help women get in these new industries?

Interviews with Vicky Tuck, Principal of the Ladies' College, can be arranged by calling Si?n Turner (Principal's EA) on 01242-707 033 or Mary Price on 01242-707 060

Technical details

• MORI conducted three waves of interviews for Cheltenham Ladies College. These included:
• Interviews with a representative sample of 661 women aged 15-45 between 20-24 July 2000.
• Using the MORI Omnibus, the interviews were conducted face-to-face in house.
• IT Employers: 100 interviews with people responsible for recruiting staff for IT companies (for network, programming, software and web-based jobs) at HR manager level. Conducted between 27 July - 3 August 2000, each lasting 15 minutes.
• Women in IT: 50 interviews with women holding managerial level jobs in networking, programming, software and web-based jobs in different sectors. Conducted between 27 July and 2 August 2000, each lasting 15 minutes.