Decoding the Tech Ceiling: Women Reboot the Future

This is your Women in Business podcast.

Welcome to Women in Business. Today we’re diving right into how women are navigating the current economic landscape, especially in the tech industry. Let’s get straight to it: the tech world powers so much of our daily life, but beneath the surface, women still hold less than 30% of all tech roles. In fact, recent numbers from compTIA show that just over a quarter of tech jobs in the U.S. are held by women, and globally, the rate is even lower. Yet, the winds are shifting. Cities like Little Rock in Arkansas and Columbia, South Carolina are making real progress—offering competitive salaries and becoming unexpected hubs of female representation. So, why are things still so challenging, and how are women responding?

First, let’s talk about opportunities and barriers. Women now make up about 35% of the tech workforce, a leap up from just 9% in the early 2000s. But there’s a catch: advancement slows significantly around mid-career, a phenomenon that researchers in Australia, like those behind the Women in Digital Report, call the “Missing Middle.” It isn’t a lack of ambition, but rather that workplaces often don’t support the realities of caregiving and flexible work—and that stalls women’s progression at critical moments. Creating support structures like flexible policies and tailored mentorship is fundamental to changing that.

The second discussion point centers on leadership and representation. While the number of women in entry-level tech positions is rising, leadership remains a tough climb. Right now, only around 14% of global tech leaders are women, and just 17% of technology companies have a woman CEO. Role models like Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code, and Kimberly Bryant, founder of Black Girls Code, are breaking new ground, but the data signals a long road ahead to true equity at the top.

Next, let’s explore the role of education and upskilling. The share of undergraduate computer science degrees awarded to women has actually dropped from 37% in the mid-80s down to about 20% today. That’s why organizations and initiatives focused on STEM education for girls and women are game-changers. Learning about artificial intelligence, for instance, is becoming essential. According to Skillsoft's Women in Tech Report, 60% of women in tech aren’t yet using AI at work. Those who are, report feeling more productive and say it opens doors for advancement. This is an opportunity gap that must be closed so women are not left behind in the next wave of innovation.

We can’t ignore intersectionality in this conversation. Black and Latinx women are still deeply underrepresented, holding well below 3% of all tech roles. Addressing the overlapping barriers of gender, race, and class is essential. Inclusive policies and networks, like those supported by the WomenTech Network, can play a major role in creating truly diverse workplaces.

Finally, let’s focus on resilience and the future. Despite recurring waves like pandemic disruptions and recent tech layoffs that have disproportionately impacted women, the tide is turning. Remote work, expanding support networks, and a wave of female entrepreneurship are fueling hope. Most importantly, closing the gender gap in tech isn’t just a moral imperative—it’s economic. According to McKinsey & Company, achieving gender parity could add a staggering $12 trillion to global GDP by 2025.

Thank you for tuning in to Women in Business. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an 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 diving right into
how women are navigating the current economic landscape, especially in
the tech industry. Let's get straight to it. The tech
world powers so much of our daily life, but beneath
the surface, women still hold less than thirty percent of
all tech roles. In fact, recent numbers from Kamptiaya show
that just over a quarter of tech jobs in the

(00:21):
US are held by women, and globally the rate is
even lower. Yet the winds are shifting. Cities like Little
Rock in Arkansas in Columbia, South Carolina are making real progress,
offering competitive salaries and becoming unexpected hubs of female representation.
So why are things still so challenging and how are
women responding? First, let's talk about opportunities and barriers. Women

(00:45):
now make up about thirty five percent of the tech workforce,
a leap up from just nine percent in the early
two thousand hundreds. But there's a catch. Advancement slows significantly
around mid career, a phenomenon that researchers in Australia, like
those behind the Women in Day Digital report, called the
missing middle. It isn't a lack of ambition, but rather
that workplaces often don't support the realities of caregiving and

(01:07):
flexible work, and that stalls women's progression at critical moments.
Creating support structures like flexible policies and tailored mentorship is
fundamental to changing that. The second discussion point centers on
leadership and representation. While the number of women in entry
level tech positions is rising, leadership remains a tough climb
Right now, only around fourteen percent of global tech leaders

(01:30):
are women, and just seventeen percent of technology companies have
a woman CEO. Role Models like Rushmiso, Johnny founder of
Girls Who Code, and Kimberly Bryant, founder of Black Girl's Code,
are breaking new ground, but the data signals a long
road ahead to true quity at the top. Next, let's
explore the role of education and upskilling. The share of
undergraduate computer science degrees awarded to women has actually dropped

(01:53):
from thirty seven percent in the mid eighties down to
about twenty percent today. That's why organizations and initiative have
focused on STEM education for girls and women are game changers.
Learning about artificial intelligence, for instance, is becoming essential. According
to Skilsof's Women in Tech Report, sixty percent of women
in tech aren't yet using AI at work. Those who

(02:15):
are report feeling more productive and say it opens doors
for advancement. This is an opportunity gap that must be
closed so women are not left behind in the next
wave of innovation. We can't ignore intersectionality in this conversation.
Black and LATINX women are still deeply underrepresented, holding well
below three percent of all tech roles. Addressing the overlapping

(02:38):
barriers of gender, race, and class is essential. Inclusive policies
and networks like those supported by the Women Tech Network
can play a major role in creating truly diverse workplaces. Finally,
let's focus on resilience in the future. Despite recurring waves
like pandemic disruptions and recent tech layoffs that have disproportionately

(03:00):
impacted women, the tide is turning. Remote work, expanding support networks,
and a wave of female entrepreneurship are fueling hope. Most importantly,
closing the gender gap in tech isn't just a moral imperative,
it's economic. According to Mackenzie and Company, achieving gender parity
could add a staggering twelve dollars trillion dollars to global

(03:21):
GDP by twenty twenty five. Thank you for tuning into
Women in Business. Be sure to subscribe so you don't
miss an episode. This has been a quiet Please production.
For more check out Quiet Please dot Ai