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Tech's Trailblazers: Women Navigating the Digital Landscape
This is your Women in Business podcast.
Welcome back to Women in Business. Today we're getting right into what it means for women to navigate the current economic landscape—especially those blazing trails in tech. The world of technology is more than just code and algorithms; it’s where innovation can drive real change, and women are making bold moves, even as the numbers show there’s still much ground to cover.
Right now, less than a third of all digital sector roles worldwide are held by women, and in the US, that’s just 27%. It’s a leap from the past—only about 9% of tech positions were held by women in the early 2000s. Progress is happening, but with giants like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Facebook still reporting women as a minority in their workforce, you know the glass ceiling is far from shattered.
That brings me to our first discussion: representation. When you look at cities like San Jose, Silicon Valley’s heart, the paychecks are massive—but the fastest wage growth and highest percentage of women in tech are actually showing up in Southern metros like Little Rock and Columbia, South Carolina. It means the best opportunities for women aren’t just in the usual places. The push for diversity is local, it’s global, and it’s shaping new tech hubs. Companies report that 36% of technical recruiters now see diversity, equity, and inclusion as crucial issues for the industry. Clearly, there’s a growing recognition that women belong at every table.
But representation alone doesn’t solve everything. Discussing pay and promotions exposes another layer—the infamous gender gap. Even in tech’s high-profile roles, women consistently earn less than men. Female CEOs at tech startups, for example, average $20,000 less in annual salary than their male counterparts. Yet, computer science does show one of the narrowest pay gaps, with women earning about 94% of men’s pay. Still, half the women in tech leave by age 35, often citing burnout and a lack of real advancement. That’s why retention and support systems are the second big talking point. Flexible work arrangements, mentorship, and career development aren’t just perks—they’re lifelines when it comes to retaining women in tech, especially those balancing caregiving responsibilities.
Let’s pivot to leadership, because that’s where impact multiplies. Globally, only about 14% of tech leaders are women, and a striking 17% of tech companies have a woman as CEO. The numbers are inching up, but progress is slow. The so-called "Missing Middle," identified in the Women in Digital Annual Report from Australia, reveals how, as women progress mid-career, structural barriers intensify—career growth stalls not due to lack of ambition, but because the workplace doesn’t support flexibility or caregiving. Breaking that cycle means prioritizing real pathways to leadership, not just recruiting at entry level.
Next up: education and skills. Women earn only about 21% of computer science degrees in the US today—a drop from nearly 37% in 1985. New fields like AI are changing the game. According to Skillsoft, gaining skills in AI is now vital for closing that gap. Yet 60% of women in tech still aren’t using AI in their jobs. When companies invest in upskilling, women report greater productivity and streamlined work. Forward-thinking firms recognize that addressing the AI skills gap is essential, as three-quarters of companies plan to ramp up AI adoption by 2028.
Finally, I want to spotlight intersectionality. Women of color remain dramatically underrepresented, making up just 2% of the tech workforce in some roles. Bridging that gap requires not only hiring but truly creating inclusive cultures, addressing bias, and developing leaders with diverse backgrounds—not just checking boxes.
The economic landscape is shifting. Tech may be competitive and unpredictable, but for women who persist—who refuse to be left out—it’s also
Published on 1 month, 1 week ago