IT industry lacks female role models

By Rosalie Marshall

May 7 2008 2:17PM

IT is losing out on potentially thousands of talented women because young girls lack the female role models who could demonstrate that it is a fulfilling career.

A survey of 1000 girls, by BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM), found that although 90 percent of girls aged between 11 and 16 think using technology is cool and chat to their friends about the market’s latest trends, only a quarter of them consider entering the industry, compared to more than half of boys.

“If young women can see a career path which has been enjoyable and rewarding for another, they are more likely to follow it themselves,” said Maggie Philbin, a presenter for BBC Breakfast News on their regular “Tomorrow’s World” features, in a statement supporting the research.

The RIM research also found that a greater number of young people would enter the IT industry if provided with information about the sector while at school.

A lack of information means 43 percent of young people do not consider a career in IT because they believe it is boring, while 30 per cent of young people are put off because IT is perceived to be "geeky".