For some reason unknown to many and known to few, the tech industry has been reserved just for men. Women in the tech industry are not often seen. The factories involving tech industry have female workers. However, they are usually working on machines, as cleaning ladies, secretaries, translators and do other more feminine jobs. Men occupy high positions as CEOs or board members. They are leading engineers and managers with high salaries and possibilities to get promoted. What about women? Are there any women occupying high positions? Of course, there are, but the number of women who perform important jobs with high risks and responsibility is much smaller comparing to the number of men. What can be the reason? Why aren’t there enough women in the tech industry? This is a complex question the answer of which we will try to explore in the following paragraphs of our article.

STATISTICS

Before we start answering the question, let us look into the statistics of women in the tech industry. Back in the seventies, only 13% of women were working in the tech industry. This has improved a lot since the seventies. The number of women in the tech industry has risen up to 30% even. Among 92 companies only 12 have female stuff in their executive positions. Comparing to the 70% of men working in the tech industry, number 30 is not enough at all. The question that remains is what the reasons are for this situation 48 years later.

GENDER STEREOTYPES

Since the earliest stages of development, boys are considered to be more talented in maths and science than girls. Is it possible that our brains work differently or we tune them to work differently? When a baby girl is born she is given fluffy toys, home utensils toys, and other feminine toys. On the other hand, when a baby boy is born, he is given lego, building toys and other more masculine toys. How do these toys affect our development? feminine toys develop creativity and a sense of responsibility for the family, while masculine toys develop kinaesthetic skills and logic thinking. If we switch the toys among the girls and boys will they not be able to play? No, they will just have equal chances to develop all of their skills. Certain expectations are imposed on children to behave in a stereotypical manner. Girls are creative and good at social and language sciences, while boys are better at science and math.

 LACK OF WOMEN IN TECH INDUSTRY

 There are much more talented men out there good for the job. For instance, in a tech industry, while 10 men apply for a job position only one woman applies for the same position. It is more likely that among these ten men there would be those with better qualifications.

 CATEGORISATION

 Our natural ability to categorize and to prefer people from the same category leads to men hiring men, simply because they are men, they belong to the same category.

 So what can we change? Start with babies and see how the change happens over time!