Find Your Niche as a Woman in Tech
Digitally driven careers are for everyone. And at a time when women have been disproportionately affected in the workplace, accounting for 54 percent of the initial COVID-related job losses, it’s promising to know that tech related jobs, on a national level, are on the rise; jobs for computer software developers are projected to grow 22 percent from 2019 to 2029, information security analysts jobs are expected to grow 31 percent and web developer jobs are expected to grow at eight percent from 2019 to 2029 — all of these on a national level and much faster than the average national growth of 0.4 percent for all occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Why is this good news? Because this type of growth means potential for positive career opportunities going forward.
You may aspire to be a trailblazer in tech like Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube or Kimberly Bryant, founder and CEO of Black Girls Code, and there is little shortage of opportunities to help you pursue your goals. If you’re new to thinking about a tech role, I encourage you to ask yourself questions like, “Is a tech career for me? How do I know which path to take?” I want to demystify the tech world and career options available for women to help you answer those questions and find your niche in this exciting field.
Tech Is Everywhere
(IT) shows up in multiple forms at nearly every job and spans every industry, including health, retail, and real estate, to name a few. Tech provides the foundation organizations need to operate and grow. High-tech industries can be broken down to include several concentrations ranging from aerospace product and parts manufacturing to management of companies and enterprises. And the possibilities don’t stop there.
As the use for tech increases alongside its rapid growth, so will the need for talent with technology and IT skills. Women are ready to answer the call by applying their transferable skills and sharpening them for the tech world with help from programs that empower them to pursue their goals.
Leverage Your Transferable Skills for Tech
Learning some core skills in tech combined with your work experience and existing talents can help you take the first step toward your digital career. Skills include:
- Problem solving
- Perseverance
- Ability to collaborate
- Time management
- Being a lifelong learner
- Organization - the ability to sort, organize and filter data
Below are just two use cases for leveraging your existing skills and talents for tech-related roles.
Cyber Security
With the cost of cybercrime estimated to reach $6 trillion globally in 2021, there is a staggering demand for skilled cyber security professionals3 to combat these threats and manage cyber defenses. This niche could be for you if you enjoy sifting through possible scenarios and building solutions that help mitigate risks. This involves bringing both your analytical skills and imagination to the table to help determine ways to protect or defend against cyber threats. Or you may be asked to bring firewalls or software up to or beyond the standard used by industry competitors. Whatever the use cases are, you can put your problem-solving abilities to the test and upskill them by learning how to identify patterns in data and possible vulnerabilities in this data.
Healthcare
The global digital health industry is expected to grow 15.1 percent on a national level from 2021 to 2028, which means there’s an opportunity for women to take on tech roles in the health industry.
Transfer skills, such as attention to detail and analytical thinking, to performance improvement activities, such as auditing and quality control. Or transfer technical skills like the ability to sort, organize and filter data (that are just as useful when working with patients one-on-one) to identify trends to address healthcare quality and compliance. Consider managing cloud-based care solutions and health information systems to reduce duplicate testing and improve patient outcomes.
How to Make the Transition to Tech
To help women prepare for positions in high-tech fields, certificate programs provide the potential option to help you upskill on your way to earning your bachelor’s. These shorter program options help those interested in the digital industry chart their own path by gaining vital industry skills they can take to the workplace now.
Are you thinking of joining the digital industry? You more than likely have the skills to take that step and I challenge you to pursue your interests by speaking to someone in the field, reviewing your goals and connecting with an advisor.
Learn more about DeVry’s Women+Tech Scholars Program™: Launch Your Digital Career.