When we think about science and technology careers, the usual vision we conjure up is of the spotty nerd in a lab coat with Petri dishes or the glasses-wearing geek behind a computer screen who hasn’t seen daylight in two years.
There are old school stereotypes, though, and nowadays, the science and technology fields are changing. One of the most significant changes that have been seen in recent years is how more universities and employers are working hard to attract women to their ranks.
Why aren’t there more women in tech?
There are many reasons that tech careers and courses may not appeal to women as much as they do men. There is strong data to suggest that women, on average, are more interested in people, and on average, men are more interested in things. To be good at and to enjoy the science and technology fields, one must be extremely interested in things and the way things work, which would give a strong reason as to why these fields are usually disproportionately men.
Another argument for the apparent male-bias in technology is that girls have been socialized to be more interested in traditionally female roles. In schools, we are seeing that girls are outperforming boys in many fields associated with technology, such as mathematics, physics, IT, and design.
IT Related Degrees & Careers
Getting into University or College to study in the science and technology fields have their own requirements, most universities require students to have a proven interest in mathematics, IT, or the sciences before joining a course. Check out the University of Alabama admissions requirements on CampusReel for more tailored information.
As for careers, there are many IT and tech-related careers, here’s our pick of 7:
Software engineer
Software engineers are coders and systems designers. They build the very programs that PCS, phones, laptops, and tablets run on. There are various levels of software engineers, and App Designers are a slightly different path.
Computer systems engineer
Slightly different from a software engineer, a systems engineer is more involved with the testing and evaluation of circuits and software on PCs, laptops, tablets, and more.
Web developer
Every business needs a website, and every site needs a web developer. Working either in their own CMS or developing for a CMS like WordPress, a web developer is the heart and soul of the web design field.
Information Security Analyst
An information security analyst’s main job is to keep would-be cyber attackers out of your system. They analyze the data and statistics to suggest changes to keep the system running safely.
Database Administrator
Using specialist software, a database administrator’s role is to install, configure, plan, and monitor databases in all their forms. This could involve significant troubleshooting and project management skills.
Network engineer
A network engineer’s role is to ensure that all the networks a company uses are working correctly and efficiently. These will include local area networks (LANs), extensive area networks (WANs), intranets, and extranets.
Game Developer
Games developers are one of the more entry-level careers for software development, although the job title does cover a wide variety of seniority levels within that scope.
Contributed by: Umer Mahmood
Tags: Technology for Empowered Women, women and technology
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