Encouraging young women to pursue careers in tech and providing them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed is essential for creating a more diverse and inclusive industry.
This includes increasing access to STEM education and providing mentorship opportunities for girls and women interested in tech careers. For technology players with great influence this spells an even greater responsibility.
Technology firms must do their part to champion female employees and create a more equitable workplace.
“A tech player understands that diversity is a key driver for innovation, with diverse perspectives and representation enriching the digital economy as a whole,” said Noor Taher, Managing Editor at Amazon Alexa MENA.
“What pioneers and leaders in the tech industry can do to promote the participation of women in the digital economies is ease accessibility through education, workshops, mentorship programs, and conscious employment. The culture within the work environment and the team also plays a crucial role for women in the tech industry, the willingness to support starts from leadership and influences every part of an organisation.”
Today, it is also pertinent to educate women about the different ways they can contribute to better serving customers, lifecycle and broader organisation in technology will ripple into more representation across the industry, according to Taher.
“Equity is a key driver that naturally levels out the playing field, boosts diversity and shows value to those who spend so much time and effort building and innovating for the future. While opportunities are sought, it’s also on us as women to shatter glass ceilings. I admire the women in tech who chose to step boldly into what was rightfully theirs, and inspired women after them to do so as well.”
For future tech leaders, Taher encourages the younger generation to pursue the particular passion that suits them whether it be game design, coding, software development and see how they can impactfully contribute to the universe that is technology today.
“More than any prior generation, today’s younger one has lived seamlessly with technology the most. Knowing the nooks and crannies of programs and interfaces at such an early age makes shaping it for the world we want to live in second nature to them,” she said.
