Across Europe, women make up around 19% of the technology workforce. This data from the Women Tech Network shows how important it is for technology companies to continue to plan and implement initiatives that encourage and support careers for women in technology.
Pax8 is working hard to ensure that women pursue careers in technology and thrive when they do.
Changing Attitudes to Technology Careers
According to research conducted by PwC, only 27% of women surveyed said they would consider a career in tech compared to 61% of men. What’s more, only 3% of women responded that a tech career would be their first choice.
Georgia Howlett, Cloud Development Manager at Pax8, believes that misconceptions about what a career in technology means contribute to this imbalance and is keen to see this addressed at a young age.
‘There is a traditional perception that technology is all about coding, but the reality is there are so many other jobs that you can do now. Education about career prospects needs to start in schools and universities.’
This is echoed by Chloe Cameron, VP of Global Employee Experience at Pax8, who recently appeared on the careers podcast, My Duvet Flip.
‘Careers in the STEM field have historically been male-dominated, and this wrongly perpetuated the stereotype that women were unable to achieve careers in this area. These gender stereotypes are incredibly powerful and create self-limiting beliefs for women which are reinforced over time.’
Encouraging more women into IT is a priority for Pax8, and Debby Clement, VP of Global Talent Acquisition at Pax8, details some of the steps Pax8 is taking to help promote careers in technology to women.
‘We talk about diversity in our job adverts and run them through diversity-friendly wording checks. We do a lot to raise awareness at the intake brief stage in the Talent Acquisition team; for example, we advertise “you don’t have to meet 100% of the criteria” and we show “flexible working” on all job adverts.’
Creating Opportunities for Women in Technology
Lucie Hutchison, Channel Account Manager and President of the Pax8 Women’s Resources Group, believes that society needs to do more than simply deliver the same opportunities to men and women. It is also essential to address unconscious bias and help women build confidence.
‘There are so many disadvantages that women have simply from the unconscious biases that they have grown up with and internalised. Women aren’t taught to fail in the same way that men are, and this causes a huge difference when it comes to confidence. There is a lot of work to be done to get women to the point where they feel empowered enough to take risks that they weren’t inherently brought up to do.’
Georgia Howlett agrees with this.
‘We need to provide communities for women to come together and share their experiences, collaborate and feel empowered, and hold events, just as we have done at Pax8.’
Debby Clement has been a diversity and inclusion champion throughout her career and explains: ‘At Pax8, we run robotics workshops for local school children and as women in tech, we should talk to our local enterprise partnership and volunteer to be a school’s careers advisor. There is a national shortage of inspirational role models, and schools are crying out for this.’
‘There is work to be done, and it is important that when girls develop an initial interest in STEM, they are not only given the same opportunities as boys, but the interest is actively encouraged and nurtured by those around them.’
Rebecca Pearse, Regional Director of Sales, UK&I at Pax8, has spent her career supporting women with aspirations to work in technology. ‘I speak to a lot of people who are potentially looking to go into STEM and I’ll assist them in any way, whether it’s helping them with their LinkedIn profile or coaching them. It’s important that those of us in tech roles represent ourselves as women in technology and are conscious of the role that we play.’
Setting the Standard for Women in Technology
Pax8 remains ahead of its peers in creating opportunities for women in technology and creating a level playing field for women.
Internal data from 2024 shows that Pax8 is exceeding global benchmarks for women in technology, with female employees making up 36% of its EMEA workforce* and outperforming Google, Microsoft and Apple.
In addition, 32 of 90 Pax8 leadership roles in EMEA* are held by women, putting Pax8 ahead of Google, Microsoft, Apple and Facebook and almost 6% ahead of the global benchmark for women in leadership roles.
Helping to achieve these standards is allyship and understanding from senior leaders, enabling women to achieve careers in technology that they might previously have passed up.
Rebecca Pearse says that this is essential for creating diverse, successful teams.
‘For a woman to go away on business, there is so much to it. They’re thinking “What do I need to put in place in order for me to go there?” That’s something that men don’t necessarily have to think about. As one of the faces of women in STEM in my company, it is important to be that face of understanding. I want people to lean into me and be a good leader for everyone.’
Every year all Pax8 offices across Europe celebrate International Women’s Day and hold open discussions around the theme of women in technology. Attended by women and allies across the business, these events prompt valuable conversations around allyship, tackling unconscious bias, and the power of amplifying women’s voices.
If you’re a woman interested in pursuing a career in technology, then take a look at our current vacancies ― we’re excited to meet you.
* Internal Pax8 data, June 2024
