EMC vice-president and global chief diversity officer Jacqueline Glenn said that there aren't enough women opting for a career in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) fields.
"Women are consistently under-represented in the high-tech fields, and that's true at a global level," Glenn said. "In the US, for example, women make up about half of the workforce, but are only one-quarter of STEM employees. And the numbers of women entering these fields has not been growing."
The Cradle to Career concept is based on the premise that, if girls are educated about high-tech careers from nursery school and nurtured all the way through university, they will be empowered to continue in the field once they graduate. In this way, more women will be interested in IT careers.
"We have to start with girls in junior primary school, getting them interested in maths and science and dispelling the age-old myth that 'women aren't good at maths'. We have to help young girls build their confidence that they can do and be anything they choose. In addition, we have to provide positive role models so that they can see others like them in IT positions," Glenn said.
An experienced executive in strategic planning, human resources, talent development, and diversity and inclusion, Glenn leads the Diversity and Inclusion strategy for EMC's global operations. In this role, Glenn ensures not only an innovative and inclusive workforce for EMC's 60,000 employees, but also a bottom-line value for the company.
There are substantial challenges facing the quest to increase the numbers of women in IT. For example, even those who graduate with engineering or science degrees don't always go into the IT industry. Previous research has found that men are employed in a STEM occupation at twice the rate of women.
Furthermore, after the first year in a profession in science, technology, engineering or maths, women are more likely to leave their jobs than their male colleagues. A new study finds that women call it quits 45% more often in their rookie years at such STEM jobs than men.
A study conducted by the American Association of University Women found that the main reasons women leave STEM jobs are a hostile work environment and the isolation of often being the only woman. While work-life balance was one of the factors, it was not the main reason.
Even when women overcome the odds and tough it out in STEM fields, they're still paid less than men. Full-time female workers with STEM degrees earn approximately 40% less than their male equivalent.
Commenting on where South Africa stands in the IT gender debate, Glenn said: "All IT environments worldwide are trending in the same percentile. Our goal is to increase these percentages through education and developing a robust pipeline. I would recommend that major players in the South African IT industry work with high schools, colleges and universities to provide internships and networking opportunities."
Glenn advised women seeking leadership roles in IT to have confidence in their expertise and abilities. It's also important to have a good mentor or sponsor who can support their belief in their potential.
"Women are less likely to take credit for their accomplishments, are less assertive and may not be viewed as having leadership potential," she said. "Having a sponsor can make all the difference, because sponsors advocate for those they sponsor, go to bat for them and recommend them for developmental assignments and promotions.
"It's also critical to make an effort to understand the entire business. Often, women concentrate on their role rather than thinking broadly about the business and how they can add value. Men, on the other hand, think more about potential and tend to be promoted on potential whereas women are more likely to be promoted on performance."
Glenn believes that it is each individual's responsibility to develop a work-life strategy.
"Life's circumstances are different for everyone - some have children, some take care of their parents and some are single. What is important to you should be aligned with your work-life strategy so that you can accomplish your goals and desires with excellence."
