Women in Tech
Five women in IT report
The IT sector is one of the fastest growing and most innovative industries in the world. However, despite technological progress and the increasing demand for specialists in this field, women are still severely underrepresented and often encounter prejudices and obstacles. Five of our female employees tell us how they found their way into the IT industry, why they feel so comfortable in this sector and what tips they have for female applicants.
I became aware of the IT sector through a flyer from Furtwangen University that explicitly advertised for women in the IT sector. I have also always been enthusiastic about software, the web and new technologies.
I like the IT industry because there is no standstill. Constant innovations and improvements are constantly developing the industry. At Loy & Hutz, I like the fact that in my role I can actively work on software functions for the customer and see the results immediately.
Companies should not only convey the feeling of equality, they must actually implement it. They cannot discriminate when hiring new employees, forming teams and building hierarchies.
You shouldn’t want to prove anything, but rather trust in your abilities and pick up lots of new skills by working with colleagues. Experience and expertise come with practice – not before. A good company is characterized by the fact that it is willing to invest in the further development of its employees.
I feel very comfortable at Loy & Hutz, I am constantly learning and can also help many colleagues with my knowledge and thus actively contribute to the success of the company.
I already enjoyed analytical tasks at school and then decided to do a dual course of study in information and media technology, where I was able to get to know many different areas of the IT industry.
The IT industry is constantly changing. As a result, there are always new, varied and exciting topics to get to grips with. So you are constantly learning. In my work at Loy & Hutz, I particularly like the different tasks and the opportunity to influence the development of our software with my own ideas. The flexible working hours are another plus point.
The IT industry needs to improve its image and further promote diversity. The image of the programmer in the basement is unfortunately still widespread, but has nothing to do with reality. Companies can help to break down prejudices, for example through internships or campaigns such as Girls’ Day.
Trust in your abilities! Don’t let stereotypes or prejudices unsettle or discourage you.
I ended up in the IT sector by chance, as I was looking for a flexible part-time job while studying economics. Over time, I chose more and more technical areas in my studies and then decided to go into software quality management full-time.
I particularly like the different areas and subject areas and the various tasks that these entail. I also appreciate the cooperation and exchange with my colleagues in an international team at Loy & Hutz.
Girls and young women need to be supported so that they can pursue any profession they want. Support at school and the abolition of gender-specific stereotypes are essential here. In the world of work, fair pay without a gender pay gap must become the standard. In addition, more women are needed in management positions. Last but not least, gender-equitable language is important, because language is a powerful tool.
Trust in your skills, don’t be afraid to go into conflict situations and be yourself. Your motto should be: Just do it!
Society needs to stop asking women when they will (finally) have children.
During my interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree, I focused on web development alongside marketing and media technology. I enjoyed this area so much that I decided to do a master’s degree in media informatics.
The constant change in the IT industry means that you have to develop with it. So it never gets boring and you are constantly learning. At Loy & Hutz, I particularly like the fact that we work with modern frameworks and equip the new waveware® UX client with completely revised usability and accessibility.
Balancing work and family life is very important for women. The IT sector is very well suited to this, as working from home and flexible working hours make it easier to organize everyday life. Companies like Loy & Hutz could offer a parent-child workplace, for example.
With motivation and perseverance, you can learn anything you want. You shouldn’t be put off by technical terms or complicated-looking formulas. Everyone learns differently and you have to find out how it works best for you.
Via detours: I actually studied English and business studies, but have always had an affinity for IT. After graduating, I ended up in software sales at a company that was in the process of expanding its English-speaking sales.
The IT sector is a fast-moving, innovative industry. There is always something new to learn. Although this requires continuous adaptability, it also means that there are always new possibilities and opportunities. What I particularly like about Loy & Hutz is the collegial cooperation at eye level across all hierarchical levels, the high degree of flexibility of the employer with regard to individual workplace and working time organization as well as the distribution of opportunities. The aforementioned adaptability that is required of employees is also exemplified by the employer. This is very important to me as a woman and especially as a mother in professional life.
Although I believe that the change in people’s minds must already take place in kindergarten and school, companies could give women more opportunities and then also increase their visibility. A current example of this would be CTO Mira Murati at ChatGPT: A woman as the chief technologist of one of the most innovative and disruptive companies of our time – WOW, that’s inspiring! And certainly not just me, but also a lot of young women out there. Interviews like this are also a contribution to increasing this visibility.
Don’t be intimidated! The IT sector is still male-dominated and unfortunately this still means that (young) women are often not taken seriously straight away. Nevertheless, the industry is changing rapidly and the female influence is growing and doing companies good!
I wish all women worldwide a happy, strong and courageous International Women’s Day and hope that one day we will no longer need it, because women’s equality has long since become a matter of course worldwide!
