Diversity and my future in tech

It's relatively common knowledge that the tech industry (both worldwide and locally in Australia) has a significant gender imbalance. In 2021, it was reported that women made up only 29% of employees in the technology industry¹ - compared to 48% in similar occupations in the professional, scientific and technical services industries. While it is a bit of a stereotype that software developers are introverted, nerdy men who are usually white or Asian - this stereotype has emerged due to a higher proportion of these groups existing in tech roles and/or the tech industry as a whole. Part of breaking down this stereotype involves increasing the diversity across all areas of tech.

There are multiple proven benefits for employers for having a diverse workforce; which the tech industry could benefit greatly from. These include, but are not limited to: more innovation, new perspectives, a wider talent pool and better employee performance - all of which can contribute to increased profits².

In addition to benefits for employers, increasing diversity in the tech industry also provides a number of fantastic opportunities for underrepresented and marginalised groups. While many of us are aware of the gender pay gap, this impacts people of colour at a higher rate than their white counterparts³. The tech industry is well known for typically paying above average salaries, which can provide greater financial security for marginalised groups that are typically paid less. Tech roles can commonly provide greater flexibility in working hours and locations, which can increase the employee engagement for parents and neurodiverse employees in particular.

When considering diversity in tech, we need to look beyond just gender diversity. A truly diverse workforce represents a wide intersection of diverse identities, including gender, sexual orientation, cultural background, ethnicity, age, disability, among others⁴. If we want the tech industry to be an equal playing field and to represent society at large, DE&I initiatives need to consider ways to get multiple underrepresented groups into tech, and also ensure that they can thrive once in the industry.

What diverse groups do you represent?

As mentioned above, increasing diversity in tech goes well beyond the scope of increasing the number of women. I represent a few different diverse groups that are typically underpresented in tech:

• Gender
  
  I am cisgender woman - while the world has come a long way in the last 100+ years, misogyny and the patriachy still impact many facets of my life
• Disability
  
  I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 29 - a neurological condition which is an invisible diability and is often highly misunderstood
• Sexual Orientation
  
  I am proudly bisexual, and choosing to disclose my sexuality can result in both conscious and unconscious discrimination
• Immigrant
  
  I migrated to Australia in 2014 and became a citizen in 2021 - I am priviledged that my migrant journey was significantly easier than most, but it was not without sacrfice

It's also important to note that diversity and priviledge is not a competition - the key reason for elevating these is to recognise that some groups are not always given a seat at the table, or an equal shot to earn that seat.

What will you do to promote diversity once in the tech industry?

Getting a seat at the table isn't enough for me - I want to give others a helping hand to get there too. I plan to document my journey to becoming a software develop with the hope of inspiring others from underrepresented groups to consider a career in tech. Once I am technically confident and capable in my own coding skills, I plan to be involved in some form of mentorship program designed at helping aspiring software developers from underrepresented groups in tech. I currently am working in a HR role and I plan to use my understanding and experience in HR to be a loud supporter of DE&I initiatives in my future workplace.

Sources:

• ¹ Improving Gender Diversity in Tech (E. Woodward, Coder Academy)
• ² Benefits of diversity in the workplace (S. Lee, Culture Amp)
• ³ Closing gender and racial pay gaps means talking openly about pay (K. Scott, ABC)
• ⁴ Intersectionality at work: Why focusing on women isn't enough (J. Kim, Culture Amp)