Women expanding presence in male-dominated tech industry
Technology always has been a bit of a boys' club.
For generations, women in school and in the work force were not encouraged to follow math or the sciences. But those who defied tradition a decade or more ago are seeing a more open landscape today than when they walked into the field.
"I think we're definitely seeing more growth in women getting into the science and technology fields," said Trish Bear, president and CEO of Scottsdale-based I-ology, a Web development and hosting firm.
A more diverse employment demographic may help the information technology sector. A 2007 report by the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology estimated tech-related industries would add about 1.5 million jobs between 2002 and 2012.
Women represent about 25 percent of entry-level technology workers, according to the Borg Institute study. That number drops precipitously at the top of the corporate ladder: About 3 percent of technology companies are headed by women, and about 5 percent have women on their executive teams.
But technology is a fast-shifting environment, and local companies are beefing up programs to add more women to the tech field - a move many say is needed, because no industry can afford to ignore 50 percent of the work force.
Salt River Project has an employee interest group, Females in Technology, to support women in the tech industry.
Barb Hoffnagle, assistant general manager and chief information executive for SRP, said women bring different skills to the IT world, and they represent about 30 percent of SRP's IT work force.
Increasing the number of women working at SRP may be difficult. The number of applications the utility receives from women for its technology positions mirrors its current representation at about 30 percent.
"It's not as diverse as it could be," Hoffnagle said.
There have been many barriers for women in the technology field. One is an education system that until recently didn't encourage girls to take up math or hard science. Another is a lack of role models or mentors in the field.
"I think it is very important, whether on a formal or informal basis, that you have a mentor network you can turn to," Hoffnagle said.
That network is being established now by women who got involved in technology from the early personal-computer days of the 1970s to the Internet buildup in the mid-'90s.
Jennifer Clancy, an accounts manager with CA Inc. (formerly known as Computer Associates), started in the mid-1980s when there were few women in technology sales, and none among her potential customers.
At the same time, Clancy saw women getting into technology fields because the industry was expanding. She jumped in after being a teacher for about nine years.
Some of what Clancy and other women in the field call "soft skills," such as communication and client advocacy, often serve them well in the technology field. In addition, companies are more adept now at putting together teams of workers with complementary skills, and acknowledging that men and women work in different ways.
"I think it's awareness, and companies need to have programs that encourage broader participation," Clancy said.
Marilyn Teplitz, principal of MGT Associates in Scottsdale, said she was interested in science and technology from the time she was a child, and often she was the only girl in her school's physics and chemistry clubs.
She views the technology field as much more open now and has seen the number of women physicians increase dramatically over the past two decades.
"It's getting better," she said. "I think you see a lot more women in medicine now, and I think a lot more people are accepting of women in technology."
For more information on I-ology please contact Aaron Detzer at 480.850.2800, extension 3017, or at
About I-ology
Founded in 1998, I-ology, Inc. creates Web Strategies that drive Growth and Profit®. I-ology provides high-end, high-quality Web services to growing businesses. These Web Services include Strategic Web Planning, Award-winning Web design and Interactive development, Measurable Online Marketing Services and Robust Web Site Hosting. I-ology's strategies have facilitated growth for such clients as the 2008 Arizona Super Bowl, Hospice of the Valley, Ensemble Real Estate Services, Arizona State University, Pebbletec, Tartesso, iGo and many more. I-ology was a 2007 Impact Award Finalist, has won numerous industry awards and is active in giving back to the community through organizations such as Special Olympics of Arizona, Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center, WasteNot, and Habitat for Humanity. You can learn more about I-ology by visiting their Web site: www.I-ology.com or by calling (480) 850-2800. I-ology®, The Science of the Internet®
