Why so few women are choosing technology as a career and what's being done to change that

When TitanFile organized DemoCamp Halifax in August, it chose an interesting cause to which it donated the proceeds: Dalhousie University’s Women in Technology Society. I say interesting because the name is a tad deceptive, especially the word Society, which connotes companionship and good cheer, possibly a meeting place to discuss shared interests.

But the Dalhousie group and comparable organizations at other campuses and workplaces address an acute pain point in the development of the knowledge economy: Too few women are choosing technology as a career, and more than half of those in the field want out.

“Not a lot of women are going into technology—about 15% [of university students studying computer science], or roughly the same level as in the mid-1980s, which is down significantly from 2000/01,” says Emily Boucher, the vice-president of marketing for the Atlantic Canadian chapter of Canadian Women in Technology (CanWIT).

CanWIT grew out of the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance in 2005/06 and employs four methods—mentorship, advocacy, professional development, and networking—to help further women’s careers in advanced technology and make the IT sector more female friendly. It has been establishing chapters across the country, the newest of which is the Atlantic Canadian chapter, which was recently launched at the Innovation Forum in Fredericton.

The goal of paving a pathway for women in the most dynamic sector of the economy is as laudable in Atlantic Canada as it is elsewhere, but this new chapter has an especially critical mission: Its work will benefit everyone in the region, not just women. The Atlantic Canadian economy greatly needs more growth in IT, and its biggest challenge is finding talent. Yet half the population—the female half—perceives negligible opportunity in the field. As a result, female high school students choosing career paths don’t consider this sector.

“A lot of it is not knowing what’s involved in IT,” says Boucher, who is also the communications director at the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance. “They think it’s all programming or engineering, but they don’t see the creative side.”

Part of CanWIT’s mission is to work with educators to let teenagers know about the rewarding careers and opportunities in the IT sector. The time to interest women in technology, says Boucher, is when they’re between 13 and 15 years old—the same age when a large number of males are developing an interest in IT.

Working with such partners as MicroSoft, Status of Women Canada, and the National Research Council, CanWIT developed a program called BringITon to educate young women about the opportunities in a range of technological fields. CanWIT also aims to improve the quality of work experiences for women in IT. “In the next 10 years, 52% of women in the IT field plan to quit because of a lack of support,” says Boucher, referring to a recent survey.

A big problem is the lack of diversity programs within IT companies, so CanWIT will soon be working with employers, especially small companies, to establish such programs so women and minorities will feel more at ease and confident in the workplace.

All of these projects are in the best interests of our economy because we need knowledge economy companies in the region, and the companies in that sector are having trouble finding skilled workers. The increase of programs encouraging women to join the IT sector is as important as those drawing immigrants to the region.

“Immigration and women in technology are both huge factors that can help fill the technology skills shortage in this country,” says Boucher.

Peter Moreira is the principal of Entrevestor.com, a website with news and analysis on investment and entrepreneurship in Atlantic Canada.