Are our clocks moving forward or backwards on Women in IT?
Happy Women History Month! Did you know that women now hold nearly 30% of tech leadership roles, a significant increase from just 11% at the start of the millennium? This progress is worth celebrating, but there’s still a long way to go.
I recently had the chance to meet up IRL with the newest members of my team. In our digital and remote-working world, such face-to-face gatherings are rare, so I took this opportunity to reflect on how much has changed since daily in-person meetings were the norm.
One thing that stood out during our get-together was the predominance of women in the group. While this might not surprise many, given that the gathering was mainly non-tech personnel, it still sparked some thoughts on the progress of women’s presence in IT and STEM over the past 25 years.
From the early 2000s, when women made up a small fraction of the IT workforce, to today, where their representation is steadily increasing, the journey has been significant. Initiatives like Ada Developers Academy, Girls Who Code, and Women in Tech® Global have played crucial roles in this progress, providing support, education, and advocacy for women in tech.
Despite these advancements, challenges remain. Stereotypes, workplace culture, and systemic barriers continue to hinder full gender parity in IT. However, with continued effort and commitment, the future looks promising.
Let’s take a look at how things have changed since the new millennium.
Early 2000s
- Representation: At the beginning of the millennium, women made up about 25% of the IT workforce
- Leadership: Women held around 11% of executive positions in tech companies
- Education: Women earned approximately 28% of computer science degrees
- Challenges: The gender pay gap was significant, with women earning about 77 cents for every dollar earned by men in similar roles
2025
- Representation: Women now constitute 28% of the global tech workforce. As of 2023, women held 26.7% of technology jobs. While this is an improvement, it still lags behind other industries.
- Leadership: Women hold 29% of tech leadership roles and only 10.4% of Fortune 500 tech CEOs are women.
- Education: Women represent 19% of computer science graduates. Efforts to close the gap have shown some progress, but disparities remain.
- Challenges: The gender pay gap persists, with women in tech earning 84 cents for every dollar earned by men. Additionally, 56% of women leave tech mid-career due to workplace culture and lack of growth opportunities
Trends
- Increased Focus on Diversity: There has been a growing emphasis on diversity and inclusion initiatives, leading to modest improvements in representation and leadership.
- Mentorship and Support Programs: Programs aimed at supporting women in tech have shown positive impacts, improving leadership representation by 30%
- Startups Leading the Way: About 50% of tech startups have at least one woman in senior leadership, indicating a shift towards more inclusive leadership in newer companies.
Â
If you’d like to learn more about women’s presence and progress in STEM, check out  Varsity Celebrates Women in STEM. Let’s celebrate the strides we’ve made and keep pushing for a more inclusive and diverse tech industry!
