October 17, 2025 • 3 mins
This is your Women in Business podcast.
Welcome to Women in Business. Today we're diving into how women are navigating the tech industry's economic landscape in 2025, and honestly, the conversation has never been more urgent.
Let's start with where we stand right now. Women make up just over a quarter of the tech workforce globally, sitting at around 27 percent according to the latest CompTIA data. Even more striking, only 17 percent of tech companies have a woman serving as CEO, and just 14 percent of global tech leaders are women. This isn't just a numbers game, it's about representation, influence, and economic power in one of the world's most lucrative sectors.
Our first discussion point centers on the missing middle phenomenon. For many women in tech, career momentum doesn't stall because of lack of ambition or skill. It stalls mid-career when workplace structures fail to support the realities of caregiving and the need for flexible work arrangements. Research shows that half of all women who work in tech have left the industry by age 35. Think about that. We're losing experienced, talented professionals right when they should be moving into leadership positions.
Second, let's talk about the AI skills gap and what it means for women's economic futures. The Skillsoft Women in Tech Report reveals that 60 percent of women aren't yet using AI in their work, while three-quarters of companies plan to increase AI use by 2028. This creates an urgent imperative. Women who gain AI skills now position themselves for higher earnings and leadership opportunities, especially since the median tech wage stands at over 104,000 dollars annually, more than double the typical earnings across all industries.
Our third point examines the systemic pay and promotion barriers. Despite some progress with women being promoted at slightly higher rates than men, 15.9 percent versus 13.6 percent, companies still offer men higher salaries than women for 62 percent of tech jobs. Female CEOs at tech startups earned 20,000 dollars less than their male counterparts last year. This wage gap compounds over careers, affecting retirement savings, investment capacity, and generational wealth.
Fourth, we need to discuss the pipeline problem that starts in education. The proportion of undergraduate computer science degrees awarded to women has dropped dramatically from 37 percent in 1985 to just 20 percent today. Without addressing this educational disparity, we're fighting an uphill battle before women even enter the workforce.
Finally, let's explore the economic opportunity cost. McKinsey and Company estimates that closing the gender gap in tech could add 12 trillion dollars to global GDP. That's not just good for women, that's transformative for the entire global economy. When women surveyed about timeline expectations, 34 percent believe gender diversity will take six to ten years to achieve, while 25 percent think it could take 11 to 24 years. We cannot afford to wait that long.
The path forward requires intentional action from companies, educational institutions, and women themselves to claim space in this industry that shapes our economic future.
Thank you for tuning in to Women in Business. Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss our next episode.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Welcome to Women in Business. Today we're diving into how women are navigating the tech industry's economic landscape in 2025, and honestly, the conversation has never been more urgent.
Let's start with where we stand right now. Women make up just over a quarter of the tech workforce globally, sitting at around 27 percent according to the latest CompTIA data. Even more striking, only 17 percent of tech companies have a woman serving as CEO, and just 14 percent of global tech leaders are women. This isn't just a numbers game, it's about representation, influence, and economic power in one of the world's most lucrative sectors.
Our first discussion point centers on the missing middle phenomenon. For many women in tech, career momentum doesn't stall because of lack of ambition or skill. It stalls mid-career when workplace structures fail to support the realities of caregiving and the need for flexible work arrangements. Research shows that half of all women who work in tech have left the industry by age 35. Think about that. We're losing experienced, talented professionals right when they should be moving into leadership positions.
Second, let's talk about the AI skills gap and what it means for women's economic futures. The Skillsoft Women in Tech Report reveals that 60 percent of women aren't yet using AI in their work, while three-quarters of companies plan to increase AI use by 2028. This creates an urgent imperative. Women who gain AI skills now position themselves for higher earnings and leadership opportunities, especially since the median tech wage stands at over 104,000 dollars annually, more than double the typical earnings across all industries.
Our third point examines the systemic pay and promotion barriers. Despite some progress with women being promoted at slightly higher rates than men, 15.9 percent versus 13.6 percent, companies still offer men higher salaries than women for 62 percent of tech jobs. Female CEOs at tech startups earned 20,000 dollars less than their male counterparts last year. This wage gap compounds over careers, affecting retirement savings, investment capacity, and generational wealth.
Fourth, we need to discuss the pipeline problem that starts in education. The proportion of undergraduate computer science degrees awarded to women has dropped dramatically from 37 percent in 1985 to just 20 percent today. Without addressing this educational disparity, we're fighting an uphill battle before women even enter the workforce.
Finally, let's explore the economic opportunity cost. McKinsey and Company estimates that closing the gender gap in tech could add 12 trillion dollars to global GDP. That's not just good for women, that's transformative for the entire global economy. When women surveyed about timeline expectations, 34 percent believe gender diversity will take six to ten years to achieve, while 25 percent think it could take 11 to 24 years. We cannot afford to wait that long.
The path forward requires intentional action from companies, educational institutions, and women themselves to claim space in this industry that shapes our economic future.
Thank you for tuning in to Women in Business. Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss our next episode.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Women in Business Today. We're diving into how
women are navigating the tech industry's economic landscape in twenty
twenty five, and honestly, the conversation has never been more urgent.
Let's start with where we stand right now. Women make
up just over a quarter of the tech workforce globally,
sitting at around twenty seven percent according to the latest
CompTIA data. Even more striking, only seventeen percent of tech
(00:23):
companies have a woman serving as CEO, and just fourteen
percent of global tech leaders are women. This isn't just
a numbers game. It's about representation, influence, and economic power
in one of the world's most lucrative sectors. Our first
discussion point centers and the missing middle phenomenon. For many
women in tech, career momentum doesn't stall because of lack
(00:44):
of ambition or skill. It stalls mid career when workplace
structures fail to support the realities of caregiving and the
need for flexible work arrangements. Research shows that half of
all women who work in tech have left the industry
by age thirty five. Think about that. We're losing experienced,
talented professionals right when they should be moving into leadership positions. Second,
(01:06):
let's talk about the AI skills gap and what it
means for women's economic futures. The Skillsoft Women in Tech
Report reveals that sixty percent of women aren't yet using
AI in their work, while three quarters of companies plan
to increase AI use by twenty twenty eight. This creates
an urgent imperative. Women who gain AI skills now position
themselves for higher earnings and leadership opportunities, especially since the
(01:29):
median tech wage stands at over one hundred and four
thousand dollars annually, more than double the typical earnings across
all industries. Our third point examines the systemic pay and
promotion barriers. Despite some progress with women being promoted at
slightly higher rates than men fifteen point nine percent versus
thirteen point six percent, companies still offer men higher salaries
(01:52):
than women for sixty two percent of tech jobs. Female
CEOs at tech start ups earned twenty thousand dollars less
than their male counterparts last year. This wage gap compounds
over careers, affecting retirement savings, investment capacity, and generational wealth. Fourth,
we need to discuss the pipeline problem that starts in education.
(02:14):
The proportion of undergraduate computer science degrees awarded to women
has dropped dramatically from thirty seven percent in nineteen eighty
five to just twenty percent today. Without addressing this educational disparity,
we're fighting an uphill battle before women even enter the workforce. Finally,
let's explore the economic opportunity cost. McKinsey and Company estimates
(02:37):
that closing the gender gap in tech could add twelve
trillion dollars to global GDP. That's not just good for women,
that's transformative for the entire noble economy. When women surveyed
about timeline expectations, thirty four percent believe gender diversity will
take six to ten years to achieve, while twenty five
percent think it could take eleven to twenty four years.
(02:57):
We cannot afford to wait that long. The path forward
requires intentional action from companies, educational institutions, and women themselves
to claim space in this industry that shapes our economic future.
Thank you for tuning in to Women in Business. Make
sure to subscribe so you don't miss our next episode.
This has been a quiet Please production. For more, check
(03:18):
out Quiet Please dot Ai
Welcome to Women in Business Today. We're diving into how
women are navigating the tech industry's economic landscape in twenty
twenty five, and honestly, the conversation has never been more urgent.
Let's start with where we stand right now. Women make
up just over a quarter of the tech workforce globally,
sitting at around twenty seven percent according to the latest
CompTIA data. Even more striking, only seventeen percent of tech
(00:23):
companies have a woman serving as CEO, and just fourteen
percent of global tech leaders are women. This isn't just
a numbers game. It's about representation, influence, and economic power
in one of the world's most lucrative sectors. Our first
discussion point centers and the missing middle phenomenon. For many
women in tech, career momentum doesn't stall because of lack
(00:44):
of ambition or skill. It stalls mid career when workplace
structures fail to support the realities of caregiving and the
need for flexible work arrangements. Research shows that half of
all women who work in tech have left the industry
by age thirty five. Think about that. We're losing experienced,
talented professionals right when they should be moving into leadership positions. Second,
(01:06):
let's talk about the AI skills gap and what it
means for women's economic futures. The Skillsoft Women in Tech
Report reveals that sixty percent of women aren't yet using
AI in their work, while three quarters of companies plan
to increase AI use by twenty twenty eight. This creates
an urgent imperative. Women who gain AI skills now position
themselves for higher earnings and leadership opportunities, especially since the
(01:29):
median tech wage stands at over one hundred and four
thousand dollars annually, more than double the typical earnings across
all industries. Our third point examines the systemic pay and
promotion barriers. Despite some progress with women being promoted at
slightly higher rates than men fifteen point nine percent versus
thirteen point six percent, companies still offer men higher salaries
(01:52):
than women for sixty two percent of tech jobs. Female
CEOs at tech start ups earned twenty thousand dollars less
than their male counterparts last year. This wage gap compounds
over careers, affecting retirement savings, investment capacity, and generational wealth. Fourth,
we need to discuss the pipeline problem that starts in education.
(02:14):
The proportion of undergraduate computer science degrees awarded to women
has dropped dramatically from thirty seven percent in nineteen eighty
five to just twenty percent today. Without addressing this educational disparity,
we're fighting an uphill battle before women even enter the workforce. Finally,
let's explore the economic opportunity cost. McKinsey and Company estimates
(02:37):
that closing the gender gap in tech could add twelve
trillion dollars to global GDP. That's not just good for women,
that's transformative for the entire noble economy. When women surveyed
about timeline expectations, thirty four percent believe gender diversity will
take six to ten years to achieve, while twenty five
percent think it could take eleven to twenty four years.
(02:57):
We cannot afford to wait that long. The path forward
requires intentional action from companies, educational institutions, and women themselves
to claim space in this industry that shapes our economic future.
Thank you for tuning in to Women in Business. Make
sure to subscribe so you don't miss our next episode.
This has been a quiet Please production. For more, check
(03:18):
out Quiet Please dot Ai
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