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

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AppendixA Few Award Winning Technical Women