Closing the Tech Gender Gap: Powering Progress, One Woman at a Time

This is your Women in Business podcast.

Welcome to Women in Business. Today, we’re tackling a story that so many of us know firsthand—what it really means to be a woman navigating the current economic landscape in the tech industry. We hear numbers tossed around—headlines about layoffs, whispers about leadership barriers, spotlights on pay gaps—but behind each stat is a living narrative, a resilient voice, and a vision for the future.

Let's get right to it. The tech sector is an economic powerhouse, driving everything from fintech to e-commerce, but the reality is that only about 27% of the U.S. tech workforce today is female. Compare that to the nearly 50% share across all industries, and it’s clear the gender gap persists, especially in leadership. Globally, it's even lower, with tech teams averaging just 23% women. When it comes to senior positions like CEO or CTO, the gap widens further—only 14% of global tech leaders are women, and just 8% fill the CTO seat. These stats might sound discouraging, but they’re the fuel behind a growing movement for change.

So, why do these numbers matter? First, women bring unique creativity, perspective, and problem-solving skills to tech. McKinsey & Company estimates closing the gender gap could contribute a staggering $12 trillion to global GDP by 2025. When women are welcomed as leaders, innovators, and creators, they don’t just boost their own careers but elevate businesses and economies.

Now, let’s pivot to our first discussion point: representation. Women hold a significant portion in fields like data science and digital interface design, with nearly 40% in those roles, yet in software development—one of the most influential tech pathways—only one in five developers is a woman. We have made progress, but we’re not done.

Second, let’s talk pay equity. It’s often assumed women earn less, but recent U.S. data flips the script. According to AIPRM, in 2024 women in tech are earning over 83% more than their male counterparts in some states. However, these numbers aren’t universal and highlight a complex landscape—location, role, and negotiation all play a part.

Third, leadership. Women are breaking barriers, but only about one in ten founding tech teams are majority female or non-binary. Career momentum slows, especially mid-career, and workplace support becomes a make-or-break factor. The “Missing Middle”—those years when caregiving intertwines with ambition—remains a challenge where workplace policies must evolve.

Our fourth point addresses opportunity and retention. Nearly 60% of women in tech consider leaving their jobs due to a lack of advancement. Training, mentorship, and reskilling—especially around emerging tech like AI—are pivotal. New fields like artificial intelligence represent both a hurdle and a springboard. Learning AI skills not only supports career growth but helps close the tech gender gap. Companies forecast AI adoption will rise 75% by 2028, making upskilling essential.

Finally, resilience and advocacy. Despite setbacks, women in tech show remarkable persistence. From spearheading flexible work policies during the pandemic to forming networks focused on mentorship and equity, their drive shapes progress for all. As listeners, your advocacy, visibility, and support are vital. Whether you're in your first role or the C-suite, one thing is clear: tomorrow’s tech landscape needs the voices, skills, and leadership of women.

Thank you for tuning in to Women in Business. Subscribe wherever you listen so you don’t miss our next episode. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to women in business Today. We're tackling a story
that so many of us know firsthand, what it really
means to be a woman navigating the current economic landscape
in the tech industry. We hear numbers tossed around, headlines
about layoffs, whispers about leadership barriers, spotlights on pay gaps.
But behind each stat is a living narrative, a resilient voice,

(00:23):
and a vision for the future. Let's get right to it.
The tech sector is an economic powerhouse, driving everything from
fintech to e commerce, but the reality is that only
about twenty seven percent of the US tech workforce today
is female. Compare that to the nearly fifty percent share

(00:49):
across all industries and it's clear the gender gap persists,
especially in leadership. Globally, it's even lower, with tech teams
averaging just twenty three percent women. When it comes to
senior positions like CEO or CTO, the gap widens further.
Only fourteen percent of global tech leaders are women, and
just eight percent fill the CTO seat. These stats might

(01:12):
sound discouraging, but they're the fuel behind a growing movement
for change. So why do these numbers matter? First, women
bring unique creativity perspective and problem solving skills to tech.
Mackinsey and Company estimates closing the gender gap could contribute
a staggering twelve dollars trillion to global GDP by twenty
twenty five. When women are welcomed as leaders, innovators, and creators,

(01:35):
they don't just boost their own careers, but elevate businesses
and economies. Now, let's pivot to our first discussion point, representation.
Women hold a significant portion in fields like data science
and digital interface design, with nearly forty percent in those roles.
Yet in software development, one of the most influential tech pathways,

(01:56):
only one in five developers is a woman. We have
made progress, but we're not done. Second, let's talk pay equity.
It's often assumed women earn less, but recent US data
flips the script. According to AIPRM in twenty twenty four,
women in tech are earning over eighty three percent more
than their male counterparts in some states. However, these numbers

(02:18):
aren't universal and highlight a complex landscape. Location, role and
negotiation all play a part. Third, leadership women are breaking barriers,
but only about one in ten founding tech teams are
majority female or non binary career momentum slows, especially mid career,
and workplace support becomes a make or break factor. The

(02:40):
missing middle, those years when caregiving intertwines with ambition remains
a challenge where workplace policies must evolve. Our fourth point
addresses opportunity and retention. Nearly sixty percent of women in
tech consider leaving their jobs due to a lack of advancement, training, mentorship,
and reskilling, especially around emerging tech like AI, are pivotal.

(03:01):
New fields like artificial intelligence represent both a hurdle and
a springboard. Learning AI skills not only supports career growth
but helps close the tech gender gap. Companies forecast AI
adoption will rise seventy five percent by twenty twenty eight,
making upskilling essential. Finally, resilience and advocacy. Despite setbacks, women

(03:22):
in tech show remarkable persistence, from spearheading flexible work policies
during the pandemic to forming networks focused on mentorship and equity.
Their drive shapes progress for all. As listeners, your advocacy, visibility,
and support are vital whether you are in your first
role or the C suite. One thing is clear tomorrow's

(03:42):
tech landscape needs the voices skills and leadership of women.
Thank you for tuning in to Women in Business. Subscribe
wherever you listen so you don't miss our next episode.
This has been a quiet please production. For more check
out Quiet Please dot ai