The Gender Gap
Being in the technology industry, it is all too apparent…there is a distinct gender gap both in the work force and in students pursuing these industries. There is a lack of women in STEM. Women in computing are often looked down upon for wanting to pursue a male dominated field where some women are told “their brains don’t work that way” or are asked to go fetch office items instead of given challenging technology tasks to solve. We have met women who share these stories about being women in technology.
In general, people are seeing that women can add another perspective and help drive advancement and development in technology solutions. But…how? What can women bring to this workforce?
At Dotcom-Monitor, helping women join this industry and lowering the gender gap is a passion of ours. It is because of this passion that in 2017, a female intern started the LoadView Annual Scholarship Program to support women seeking degrees in computer science, computer engineering, or closely related technical fields. With the Women in Computing Scholarship we ask our applicants: “What power does your future degree hold in the computer science field?” and “How do women influence this industry?”.
Women in Computing
What diverse, passionate and interesting group of women we have had apply! We feel privileged to read the essays of future animation developers, medical technology developers, engineers, graphic and user experience developers, cyber security professionals and so many more.
It is encouraging to see their involvement in helping other women who follow them into this male dominated industry. There are young students mentoring girls in STEM programs and starting clubs to help their peers advance their knowledge, skills and abilities in Computer Science.
Challenges will come up throughout our careers, but women’s rights have come a long way over the past 100-150 years. With our active participation, thirst for knowledge and application of technology, we can further the world with our ingenuity and teamwork. When you have gender gap challenges in the workforce, know that you are not alone and you are a part of bigger change. Keep going and continue to use your imagination to create technology that makes the world a better place for everyone.
Submissions
Remember that 2018’s LoadView scholarship deadline is April 1st at 11:59pm CST. Make sure to answer all 3 short essay questions and submit the correct PDF files. We are looking forward to announcing another scholarship winner on May 1st, 2018!
