This March 8 is celebrated International Women’s Daydate we receive this year with the news that the low female representation in the technological field persists despite the efforts dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion. Global data indicate that only 35% of graduates in STEM disciplines are women, a figure decreases to 28% in the Latin American work context. In the specific case of Peru, the situation is even more worrying, since women constitute only 10% of the workforce in the information technology industry, according to INEI figures.
This disparity shows a marked gender gap in this sector, which puts it far behind even its neighbors. For example, in Chile or Colombia, female participation in you reaches 30%. For Claudia Talavera, managing director of Experis Peru, structural and cultural obstacles still persist that make more women access technical and leadership roles. “These barriers and paradigms include gender stereotypes, the lack of female models to follow and the limited access to technological training programs,” he says.
There are specific areas within the IT sector that are showing greater opening for female talent and where they can develop. “For example, software development, cybersecurity, data analysis and artificial intelligence are booming fields where women have great opportunities to highlight and lead,” Talavera considered.
In his opinion, there are three items in which you must work to reduce the gap of female participation in the technology industry: Education, corporate policies and visibility. In the educational field, promoting Stem programs from an early age would be essential to arouse the interest of girls in technology. At the business level, implement inclusive policies, such as mentoring, specific training and labor flexibility, in addition to salary equality, it would be crucial. Finally, highlighting success stories of women in you could inspire new generations.
“Women who are starting their studies in technology, I recommend that they remain curious and seek to constantly learn. Participating in technology communities, looking for mentors and not being afraid to apply for challenging roles are key steps. It is also important that they develop soft skills, such as leadership, communication and teamwork, since these are equally valued in the industry. They must trust their capacity and not be intimidated by gender stereotypes in order to advance in their career, ”concludes Claudia Talavera.