Closing the Gender Gap in Tech: Stories of Women Who Switched to Coding Jobs

The tech industry is facing a major skills gap, and studies show that women are less likely to work in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) than men. However, recent data suggests that some women are starting to break through and embark on new career paths in tech.

In 2021, there were 15,000 more women working as programmers and software developers in the UK than in the previous year, according to the Office for National Statistics. The number of women working as web designers also increased by almost 10,000. However, despite these gains, women still only make up 25% of coding jobs, according to SheCodes.

For many women, the idea of a career in tech may have seemed daunting or unattainable. But as these stories show, it is possible to break through these stereotypes and succeed in a tech career.

Primary school teacher to Software Engineer

Jessica Gilbert, a former primary school teacher, had no idea about jobs in tech until she saw an Instagram advert by Code First Girls offering a free eight-week course on coding. After the initial course, she went on to do further studies in coding in the evenings while still teaching, which she says was “tough but worth it”. Now she works as a junior software engineer at Sky Betting & Gaming, and says she is much happier in the role despite not earning as much money as she was when teaching.

Healthcare Assistant to Data Engineer

Thaslima Ferdous, who studied biomedical science at university, was working as a healthcare assistant in the NHS in London. After reading a story about a young woman who had become a coder, she began to wonder if she could switch careers but was sceptical about working in tech when she had a pure science background. She decided to do a 14-week coding bootcamp which taught her the foundations of python and SQL. Now, she works as a data engineer.

As the tech industry continues to grow, it’s important that more women are encouraged to enter the field. Companies can play a role in this by actively seeking out and recruiting talented women, as well as providing training and development opportunities to help women succeed in tech roles. Women can also take the initiative to explore new career paths in tech by seeking out resources and training programs.

What IT Training programmes are there for Women?

Netcom Training is a training provider in the field of IT that can play an important role in bridging the gender gap in the technology sector. As we have seen from the BBC article, there is a significant shortage of women in coding and other tech-related fields. However, there are organizations like Code First Girls that are working to close this gap by providing free coding courses to women.

Netcom Training can also contribute to this effort by offering coding and other IT courses to women who are interested in changing their career paths. They can provide a supportive environment for women to learn and develop new skills, even if they don’t have a background in STEM fields. By doing so, they can help women to gain confidence and break down the stereotypes surrounding careers in technology.

Moreover, Netcom Training can also work with companies to help them recruit newly trained female developers. They can help connect female developers with job opportunities and promote diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.

By working together, we can help close the gender gap in tech and create a more diverse and inclusive industry for all.

If you are interested in one of our Fully-Funded IT courses, visit our website here today!