Findings from Skillsoft’s 2021 Women in Tech Report reveal that while female employees have gained hard-fought ground in the workplace, a large gap still exists when it comes to opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

Skillsoft, a corporate digital learning provider, explored the current state of women in tech including the challenges and barriers to inclusion they face and how employers can better support them.

According to the report, there is a misalignment between the workplace benefits women in tech are seeking and what is currently being provided. For instance, while 86% of respondents cited opportunities for professional development and training as extremely or very important to them, just 42% said their employers currently offer this as a benefit. When asked about the top challenges they have faced while pursuing a tech-related career, nearly a third of women surveyed (32%) pointed to a lack of training.

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The research indicates that women in tech want to learn, and when asked which tech-related areas they are most interested in, business analysis, cybersecurity, analytics, AI, and machine learning, and leadership and management topped their lists.

Skills gaps

With Skillsoft’s recent IT Skills and Salary Report finding that 76% of organizations currently face skills gaps in their IT departments, providing opportunities for training and professional development is a major benefit for employers and employees alike as it can help fill crucial shortages and skills gaps and put women on a path for career advancement.

“Organizations around the globe are looking for ways to address their skills gaps, and in many cases, the answer lies within via their existing workforce,” said Potoula Chresomales, SVP, product management, Skillsoft. “Women make up less than 40% of the global workforce, and for that number to increase, female employees must be empowered with continuous training, professional development, and career advancement, as well as equal pay. The time is now for organizations to tackle gender disparity head-on. By doing so, we can build more inclusive, equitable, and competitive businesses.”

Skillsoft’s 2021 Women in Tech Report highlights a few ways organizations can better empower female employees, including:

Provide and encourage opportunities for certification:

• When asked how certifications have helped advance their careers, respondents reported gaining more responsibility (52%), earning higher salaries (34%), and receiving promotions (32%), among other benefits.
• Despite business analysis and cybersecurity being identified as leading areas of interest, just 22% and 18% of respondents, respectively, hold corresponding certifications. 19% report holding no certifications at all.

Make a concentrated effort to reduce gender bias in STEM:

• 70% of women surveyed reported that men outnumber them in the workplace at ratios of two-to-one or greater.
• Skillsoft found that compared to men, women in tech must work longer to climb the corporate ladder. The highest percentage of men in leadership roles have 15-20 years of experience versus 26 or more years for women.
• To encourage more women to pursue tech-related careers, respondents said organizations should provide opportunities for professional development and training (55%), childcare (47%), career coaching, mentoring, and counseling (43%), and equitable work culture (41%).

Alleviate the unique on-the-job challenges women face:

• While overall job satisfaction for women in tech is strong — 91% of respondents report being extremely or somewhat satisfied in their roles — they face numerous obstacles. 38% of respondents list their biggest challenge as a lack of equity in pay. This is followed by balancing work and life (36%) and a lack of equity in opportunities (33%).

Ensure training is timely and topical:

• When selecting a training provider, women in tech seek scheduling capabilities (34%), relevant course availability (32%), and opportunities for hands-on practice (32%).