We'll be frank with you: There's not a whole lot of women working in technology. According to Adeva IT, as of 2018, women held only 25 percent of all the jobs in the tech industry. While that's certainly not because women are capable of working in the tech sector, it is because the industry is still largely male-dominated and, unfortunately, riddled with glass ceilings and glass cliffs. According to a Women in Tech report by PWC, more boys than girls study STEM, which is partly because only 27 percent of women would consider a tech career.
That all said, the latest statistics do show improvements, and women in tech are making some seriously inspiring headway. More and more women are pursuing technology careers thanks to some awe-inspiring icons and incredibly empowering organizations like Women Who Code.
What is Women Who Code?
Women Who Code is an international nonprofit organization that exists to inspire women in the tech industry — both seasoned veterans and prospective newbies alike. "We envision a world where women are proportionally represented as technical leaders, executives, founders, VCs, board members, and software engineers," the organization says. It commits to the following:
- Empowering women with skills they need for professional achievement (resources like articles, tutorial videos, educational materials, etc.)
- Educating technology companies to better attract, hire, retain, and promote talented women
- Building a global community of women in technology that values networking and mentorship
- Developing female role models and support systems for this generation of engineers
Women Who Code also has a job board, gives scholarships and sells tickets to global conferences and events (its networks run more than 1,800 free and low-cost technical events every year). It also offers leadership opportunities for its members to grow their skills, and it sends out a weekly
CODE Review newsletter with industry updates and inspirational stories. Plus, members can submit and be nominated for publicly promoted professional "Applaud Hers." This is one surefire way to give each other that long overdue recognition and boost each other's confidence (something more women need to succeed in the technology industry!).
"When you become a part of Women Who Code, you gain access to programs and services that are designed to help you step up your tech career," according to the organization, which boasts over 230,000 members located in 70 cities across 20 countries already. These members are career-aged technology professionals who are at every level of the industry. Some are running companies and others are just starting out at the bottom of the totem pole. What they all have in common, beside their career, is that 80 percent of them experience a positive career impact after joining Women Who Code.
"Women Who Code helps engineers level up," the organization explains. "We are successful when our members love their careers and stay in tech. Currently, women who are mid into their careers are leaving tech at a rate of 56%, which is more than double the quit rate of men. One reason is that women have a much lower chance of being promoted. As a result, we focus on changing the perception of the industry by highlighting the achievements and success of the diverse array of engineers that work in these professions."
Who should join Women Who Code and who can get involved?
Women Who Code's existing members work in all aspects of the industry. While 50 percent of the Women Who Code Members are engineers, 26 percent work in other roles like consultants and solutions architects. Meanwhile, eight percent are executives, seven percent work in technology management positions, five percent work in data science, and four percent work in tech design.
You don't need to fit into one of these existing categories, however. Women Who Code is for all women in this space who are dedicated to supporting one another in their career goals. If you're a career-aged woman who is working in technology or who is interested in a technology career, Women Who Code is for you.
You can easily join by by creating an account right on the website. You can also become a member by attending a local Women Who Code Network event or by signing up on their Meetup page.
If you own a company or are an entrepreneur who wants to host an event, you can do so through Women Who Code, as well. The organization posts relevant tech events in its weekly CODE Review newsletters. You can submit an event here. Note that there is a recommended donation for each posting, and anyone who can offer discounts and/or free tickets to the Women Who Code members will get improved placement, according to the organization.
How women in technology can find community on Fairygodboss
If you're a woman who works in technology, Fairygodboss has a Community of likeminded professional women, so you can chat with tech professionals, ask questions, share insights and empower prospective women in technology right here.
You may also want to take a look at our
events page to keep an eye on Fairygodboss events that interest you. Often, we host webinars and virtual career fairs where you can learn about the technology industry and hunt for jobs in the industry. These are great places to network with other women in technology, even if you aren't looking for a job. Or, you can also look for technology job listings directly on our
jobs page. Just type in a keyword related to the type of technology job you want (job title, company, or another relevant keyword), and your location. We've got listings for you to browse any time.
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AnnaMarie Houlis is a multimedia journalist and an adventure aficionado with a keen cultural curiosity and an affinity for solo travel. She's an editor by day and a travel blogger at HerReport.org by night. 
