We Need More Women in Tech
“The word ‘female,’ when inserted in front of something, is always with a note of surprise. Female COO, female pilot, female surgeon — as if the gender implies surprise … One day there won’t be female leaders. There will just be leaders.” - Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO and Founder of Leanin.org
The disparity in the tech industry and the under-representation of women in this field, especially in higher positions has been and is still very prevalent in society today. There are countless stories that one hears regarding the hardships women face in procuring internships and full-time jobs, and this is not limited to sexism. Several women receive racist comments when expressing their interest in tech and exploring a career in this field.
As an international student, I have had to overcome several obstacles in terms of adopting a new culture, being surrounded by people who have very different upbringings, and from different walks of life. However, I have enjoyed this process as it provided me with the opportunity to grow and be exposed to different ideas and perspectives that I cannot experience elsewhere. I did not anticipate, however, the discrimination towards women in tech and the unjust treatment when recruitment takes place. This is why I decided to take a stance and truly speak up for what I believe in.
I acted as the Brand Ambassador for Tech Together Boston, which is the largest all-female hackathon in the United States. I volunteered my time to promote this event because I want to play a role in empowering other women to pursue a career in tech without fear of judgment or being ridiculed for being so daring so as to pursue a career in a field that was largely dominated by males.
In the past year, I also attended ElleHacks which is the largest all-female hackathon in Canada. I took this opportunity to explore the tech field, various opportunities readily available to students, and connect with other strong, like-minded females who believed in equal treatment and equal representation in all sectors of the workforce.
Moreover, I am an active member of the Women in Engineering (WiE) at the University of Waterloo. I attend networking sessions and other empowerment workshops regularly. The best part about these workshops is that they are catered towards instilling confidence in young women and teaching men and other members of society the importance of inclusivity and every individual's right to pursue a career in tech, free of judgment.
I have always been and will continue to be an advocate for equality in the workspace and empowerment of women in the tech industry and I urge you to do the same. Speak up for what's right - be the change you wish to see in the world.
Passionate leader in strategic initiatives and product innovation | Community Builder | Strategy | Product Operations | Mentorship
4 年Great read Prithika H. it is so important to have more female advocates. To support each other as we navigate our careers and to grow future leaders in STEM industries. For me I’ve always believed in a more personal approach. I have memories of going into high school classrooms and teaching accessible engineering type experiments - 15 years ago. Today I mentor university students, interns and fellow colleagues. Great to read that this is a passion of yours. I look forward to connecting more on this subject. ??
Corporate Government Contract Administrator at Motion Industries
4 年Love it, Prithika!! Awesome read
University of Colorado Boulder Business and Computer Science Graduate | Presidents Leadership Class Scholar
4 年I am also an advocate for bringing more girls into technology and I love what you are doing to bridge the gender gap in STEM fields! The work you are doing is so important and very inspiring!