Rewarding Careers for Women in Tech

by Acacia Carr, Web Developer and Author of Uncommon Creative

The future is fast upon us as the stuff of science fiction becomes our daily lives. Technology has evolved at a speed none could have predicted. Smart phones, tablets, autonomous vehicles, drones, Bitcoin, bots, Alexa…the rise of Big Tech, and the advent of AI. There is virtually no part of daily life on Earth that has not yet been hit by the sonic waves of the tech boom. How we live, connect, learn, transact, identify, express, sustain, and find our way has all changed in the blink of an eye.

Out of all these many changes, I find one in particular most striking. In the wake of the tech evolution, many women are for the first time in history truly empowered to live lives of their own making via the connected world created by tech.

Employment Trends

The rise of AI, cryptocurrency, brand marketing, data science, and — especially — cybersecurity makes tech one of the most in demand fields of today with an anticipated 12 percent increase in available tech jobs by 2024 compared to 6.5 projected job growth for other industries. According to a recent survey on Glassdoor — one of the world’s largest recruiting services — 19 of the top 50 highest ranked jobs for 2019 were in the technology field, more than any other field. Jobs were ranked on factors such as pay and desirability.

There’s no denying it: highly skilled tech and marketing workers are needed in every field. And with the advent of online learning platforms and the support of the Open Source Community, the education required to build these skills can now be acquired for a fraction of the cost and time it takes to get a traditional college education, opening the doors to anyone who is interested in pursuing a rewarding career in tech. 

Many factors have played a role in the decrease of women in tech jobs over the years, including the meteoric rise of figures like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg, but I believe we are seeing a renaissance as women form communities online and become a more active part of the conversation again.

To be a part of the dialogue, women can and must make their voices heard in the industry and the greater Web community. This means attending industry and community events, writing for industry publications, blogging, podcasting, and hosting workshops. It also means practicing ethical work habits and cultivating professional development. It means supporting and recognizing other women who are making contributions in the industry. It means championing the rights and voices of other minorities as well. 

Read Acacia's full article and check out her (really well-designed and useful) book here -- https://greenmoney.com/rewarding-careers-for-women-in-tech 

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