‘He, that’s great, another woman in the team!’ I hear myself say, happily surprised when I’m introduced to my new project team. But why do I say that? And why the surprise? The reason is – I think – because even now it is still not commonplace – a woman in IT.
I used to look at this quite differently. When I started in the nineties of the last century as a Software Engineer at a small software company, where I was the only female engineer, I expected the ratio male/female to even-up quickly. Undoubtedly before the new millennium started. Noting against men, but if you are the only woman in a team of sixteen persons, the balance is way off. Where were these bright girls who were prepared for their future! They had to be on their way in, I was so sure of that!
Testing
For a while now, I am a member of the Craft Experts team Testing. There are several women in that team. Quite unique for me! I already had the impression that there are more women working in the discipline of Testing than in other areas of IT. And that seems to be the case. Does that mean it’s an even 50/50 split? Not by a long shot, but the ration is much better. How is that possible? Is there any research on this? My theory is that test professionals must have more than a technical scope and being able to work accurate and detailed. They also need to look at the broader picture and be able to communicate with all other team members and customers. Maybe that’s why women find testing such an appealing competence. For me at least, these aspects where the main reasons to choose for a career in Testing.
Old-fashioned
In the media we continue to read that the demand for IT professionals remains high in The Netherlands. For years this need leads to the allocation of female IT professionals abroad and an increasingly larger group of expats. Last trend of course, due to the Corona pandemic, smart working offside. But why remains our own feminine potential un-activated? This raises the question of why programming or information technology isn’t a mandatory subject in schools, like for instance in the UK, where the programmable BBC micro:bit has been successfully introduced? I’m convinced that these initiatives will prove that it isn’t just the boys who are great in programming. Perhaps that will help us to abandon the idea that ICT is a man’s world.
We are all responsible for this old-fashioned situation in our country. In the Scandinavian countries, for instance, is the percentage of women in IT much higher than in The Netherlands. They prove that it is more than possible!
It would be fantastic if our IT community would step up for more women in IT. When raising our daughters, we can already show at an early age that IT is challenging and fun for everyone. And if we also push for information technology and programming courses at school, perhaps with the coming generation the ‘female touch’ will finally appear in IT.
Patience
For now, I’m happy not being the only woman in the project team. But this should be a normal situation, not the exception to the rule. Women in IT, they’re coming!
