Women have great opportunities in technology

The technology industry offers secure, well-paid, flexible jobs regardless of gender

Australia has a proud tradition of punching well above its weight. We know how to make ourselves known on the world stage. We have a terrific “can do” attitude and we are not afraid to change the status quo.

Despite this, it is astonishing that our nation has failed to make significant headway in diversifying the voices who participate at the highest levels of decision-making.

Only 38 per cent of our federal parliament representatives are women.

Research by Chief Executive Women Australia shows that women accounted for less than 10 per cent of chief executives of ASX 300 companies as of July 2021.

Successive intergenerational reports have highlighted the importance of higher women’s workforce participation in improving Australia’s productivity and prosperity. I believe that increasing women’s workforce participation should be one of the most pressing business priorities for Australia. And with a focus on resetting our economic agenda for the country for the decades to come, the time to drive change is now.

Tesla chair Robyn Denholm: Picture: John Feder

However, beyond clear economic benefits, why is it so crucial to increase the leadership and decision-making roles of women across our workforce?

The answer is simple. In order to address the most acute challenges facing Australia – the impacts of climate change, the economic recovery from a global pandemic, and safeguarding our geopolitical security – we will need the very best minds at work on these problems. Importantly, a more diverse range of views allows us to broaden the spectrum of potential solutions. We need women in places where decisions are being made.

To do so we need to actively encourage women to be wildly ambitious, big thinkers and unafraid to fail on the path to eventual success. I like to think I’m working in an industry which by its nature is good for women.

Recent research by the Technology Council of Australia shows that the sector boasts some of the most flexible work-life-balance conditions of any industry.

Employees in tech-specific companies are also 1.5-2 times more likely to work remotely than tech employees working in non-tech-specific companies.

The research also shows that jobs are more secure than jobs in many comparable industries.

The rate of people no longer working after eight years was 4.7 percentage points lower in tech than other high paying industries.

There are tremendous opportunities for women in the technology industry. While we know we don’t yet have enough female representation, women looking to forge a career in the tech sector face a much smaller gender pay gap than other industries.

The research found that women entrants in the tech sector have a gender pay gap of around 9 per cent compared to women entering comparable industries who face a pay gap of around 18 per cent.

The technology industry in Australia really does have the trifecta of secure, well-paid, flexible jobs available to all people regardless of gender, background, or education.

We want Australians to aspire to a job in our industry and we want to help them find the pathway into their career.

The truth is there are now more software engineers than there are hairdressers. One in 16 working Australians are now in a technology-related job. Why that is so critical is that women have not traditionally seen themselves as technologists.

While we’ve tried to actively encourage women into STEM at a young age, the real opportunity comes for mid-career women. Our experience is that women are more likely to join the tech sector mid-career, often returning to the workforce after having children. When they do, it often accelerates their pay, skills and opportunity, while providing a flexible work ­environment.

The challenge for us all is to play our role in encouraging women into decision-making positions in greater numbers.

For those in the boardrooms of Australia, there is a critical role in ensuring risk-taking is a feature within your companies. We must foster a diverse range of voices and develop innovative pathways for women to enter new fields and positions of leadership.

Government policies and regulatory settings need to be focused on assisting Australian companies to grow and expand – policies that foster investment, science-based research and development, as well as ongoing innovation.

Our educators must actively support young minds seeking guidance on their career choices. Science, maths and engineering should continually be promoted to our young people.

Mums and dads should be encouraging their kids to have bold career ambitions. Encourage them to take risks, work hard and include them in conversations about the role the business community can play in solving complex problems.

Having been back in Australia for five years now, I feel a sense of optimism about the role our country can play in solving complex global problems. But to really make a difference, we need a diverse range of views at the table.

Robyn Denholm is the chair of Tesla. She is the keynote speaker at Tuesday’s Chief Executive Women Annual Dinner.