LAUREN CLARK Simple work mechanisms can ensure career support and the retention of skilled female employees
Information technology (IT) firms Mint Management Technologies and Pinnacle are working to establish a professional network to support the career development of women in the IT sector, says Mint Management Technologies human resources executive Lauren Clark.
The need for a professional career network is a result of the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles in the IT industry, and is being developed in partnership with the International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners (IAMCP) and the Women in Technology (WIT) initiative, says Pinnacle brand executive Kavitha Glenister.
“Less than 10% of the top leadership positions in the IT industry are held by women. We believe this is partly structural and partly as a result of women not promoting themselves, despite having the requisite skills and experience,” she says.
However, experienced women in industry can add significant value to their companies as leaders and executive board members, and supporting their career development is, therefore, a commercially valuable objective for companies, she explains.
Glenister adds that providing career guidance for women will correct the incongruent situation in the industry, where many women occupy low- and mid-level positions, yet their presence vanishes in the upper echelons of the industry.
“Our goal is to make companies aware of the talent they are overlooking and to help women to attain leadership positions in the industry as a result of their skills and experience,” she details.
One persistent barrier to women pursuing leadership positions is the perceived conflict between career advancement and having children. However, the network helps to motivate women to pursue both.
“There is a wealth of experience and information members can share. Young women then see that they can raise a family and, with the right skills, pursue their career.”
Simple mechanisms, such as remote work options for new mothers, can ensure career support and the retention of skilled female employees, notes Clark.
Clark focuses on the grassroots part of career development and interacts with girls at schools and students in post-school education. The focus is on raising awareness among young girls at schools know about the broad career opportunities in the IT industry.
WIT aims to increase female participation in the internship and training programmes of the company’s that their members work for, and some of the local members have been able to increase the participation of women in internship programmes of their companies to more than 33%.
This has a significant impact on the communities where these young women come from, as they become role models for the next generation, she adds.
“We want to ensure that the industry has access to sufficient highly skilled people by ensuring that the girls and women pursue careers in the industry, and join companies with the necessary skills and capabilities that will equip them to succeed,” Clark concludes.
Story highlights:
* A professional support network for women in technology industries is being established in South Africa.
* The network, which is a local chapter of an international initiative, aims to ensure that the industry and companies have access to sufficient skills by encouraging women to pursue careers in technology industries.