Forget the stereotypical narrative that tech jobs are meant for men, and enter women in software development. As COVID-19 disrupted the workforce and companies were faced with tough decisions when it came to staffing, women were already leaving the workforce in droves to care for families. Now, as schools open back up and women start looking to return to work, they will find their previous jobs may no longer be there.
It’s estimated that the IT industry will grow 13% between 2019 and 2024, a tech talent shortage and increased demand for IT/tech talent during COVID has actually dampened this outlook. IT and tech have always been an ideal industry for people looking for flexible work and jobs that don’t require extensive education.
COVID-19 slowed the growth of the worldwide developer population by 2.4% instead of the predicted 4%. However, as the increased IT/software demand seen during the pandemic is expected to continue, there’s no lack of available jobs. As a result, interest in software dev boot camps and certifications has jumped in recent months.
With the influx of women expected to return to the workforce looking for jobs soon and the attractiveness of the flexibility IT offers, Nancy Kastl, Executive Director of Software Testing Services at SPR, is eager for the opportunity to add more women in the software dev industry being an industry veteran of 25 years herself.
Nancy founded the nonprofit Chicago Quality Assurance Association (CQAA) in 1984 and has served on the Board of Directors in various roles now serving as President. If you’re interested, I’d like to connect you with Nancy who can discuss:
- Why half of the women in tech will leave the industry by age 35 citing non-inclusive company culture as their reason for leaving
- Why software dev is a great career for women and the importance of promoting diversity and inclusion to form a community helping women in software development advance
- How female developers are making a significant impact on the industry and what’s needed to close the gap
