Women In The World Of Technology - Has The Paradigm Shifted?

Many might loosely define technology as "theundergraduate degree recipients were women
greatest evolution in the last century." Afterall, it hasVS.o 14% Percent of 2006 Computer Science
certainly become a staple of not only our life-styles,undergraduate degree recipients at major research
but also a key component to our economy. In theuniversities were women
last decade alone, the entire globe has traveledSo why the (seemingly significant) gap?
through many cycles of both progression, andIt is likely because the spectrum of careers has
growth.grown to be quite diverse. Technology professionals
It's true, that there is a stigma that the world of(in general) don't necessarily have to have a
technology is "a man's domain," but women have a"technical" degree, but they are REQUIRED to have
different perspective. Fortunately, the industry hasan understanding to effectively use it. In the same
excelled through a paradigm shift that not onlystatistical report, the National Center for Women in
INCLUDES women, but recognizes and acknowledgesTechnology predict that 1,000,000 new jobs will be
the contributions that women have made to theadded to the US workforce by 2014, yet only 50%
industry. There are organizations comprised ofof them will be jobs for which US universities will
women that have achieved significant levels ofgraduate candidates with bachelor's degrees.
success in the technology and related fields. WomenSo how do young women who show an interest and
& Hi-Tech has been in existence since 2000, andpassion for technology overcome the challenges?
was created to address the specific needs ofMentor / Protégé Programs!
women in high tech industries and to encourage moreThere are a vast array of resources for young
women to consider careers in technology.women to tap into as they either enter their
What's most exciting about peeking into the careerscollegiate career, or as they graduate with a degree
of women in technology, is that the spectrum ofand enter the workforce.
opportunity has exponentially grown in the two lastThe best lesson learned, however, is that success
decades. As far back as 1985, careers in technologywon't just "fall in your lap." For women who have the
were, for the most part, centered aroundaptitude and dedication to making this career path
programming. Jumping into the 1990's careers beganwork, the key is to network and align yourself with
to evolve into application development, and when theothers in the I.T. industry that have been successful
"DOT COM" era hit, the world was on its heels. Webwith their own respective career paths.
development, database administration, and digitalThe POTENTIAL for gender conflict may be more
internet marketing began to evolve as careers thatpresent when in front of senior management. Though
took on a more practical stance to the utilization ofthe numbers of women in technical positions has
technology. They also allowed for the growth of theexponentially grown, still today, there are fewer
business professional to enhance their skill set withsenior management (technical) positions held by
the understanding of a new "business practice."women. Ruby predicts that a trend is likely to evolve
Let History Tell the Story!where we'll start seeing more women
The National Center for Women in TechnologyENTREPRENEURS than women in management
recently compiled statistics and published a reportpositions in technology.
noting:o 51% Percent of professional occupations inThe economy is certainly primed for
the 2006 U.S. workforce held by womenentrepreneurship, and the Indianapolis landscape has
VS.o 25% Percent of professional IT-relatedproven to be conducive and encouraging for
occupations in the 2006 U.S. workforce held bydeveloping small business.
womeno 37% Percent of 1985 Computer Science