The current trend over the past 30 years has seen the number of young women completing engineering and technology programs decline significantly. This means that women are generally underrepresented in technology-related jobs. This is a particular problem in technical positions and at leadership levels.
In the US, there are various efforts to improve these numbers. One group, Girls Who Code (GWC), was founded in 2011. The goal of that organization is to expose a million young women to computer-science education and training by the end of 2020. To achieve that objective, GWC is partnering with US universities, elementary and secondary schools, and large corporations to sponsor after-school clubs and summer immersion programs for girls in grades 6 to 12. According to Girls Who Code CEO and founder Reshma Saujani, the results have been encouraging. By the end of 2015, GWC will have reached 10,000 girls across the United States. Follow-ups with program alumni reveal that 90 percent are planning to major in computer science or mechanical or electrical engineering in college, Saujani says.
Reshma Saujani says the her group believes the decline is due to several factors. Part of the problem has to do with culture. Another factor is a lack of knowledge about working in technology.
Another challenge is that about half of technical women leave the industry within 10 years of joining it. Women need to be encouraged and supported to stay and rise to the highest levels in technology organization.
