Trainocate Malaysia x Microsoft

Breaking Barriers: Women in Tech  

A little trip down history will have you know that Ada Lovelace an English mathematician is widely regarded as being the author of the first computer program, publishing the first-ever algorithm known to humankind.  

And whilst women have had a heavy hand in the progress and development of our modern society, most of us are still grappling with power imbalances, gender inequality, biases and pay parity, amongst others. This issue is particularly evident across the technology industry and has undoubtedly had an impact on socioeconomic and sociopolitical structures over the years.  

Boosting the representation and participation of women in the tech field, specifically in filling technical roles has been a prominent agenda in the last decade. Despite both large-scale and grassroots efforts, the gender gap is far from being closed and the momentum in growth remains slow.  

Deloitte Global has forecasted that large global tech companies will reach approximately 33% of overall female representation in their workforces on average in 2022, a slight increase of more than 2 percentage points from what was seen in 2019. Nonetheless, it was found that in 2010 though there were 57% female undergraduate degree recipients, only 14% of them were for computer science and technology-related degrees. What is a bigger surprise to this research is that the number has declined in the past few years: In 1985, women made up 37% of those graduating with computer science degrees.  

But, what about all of this, why is it so prevalent and why is this a pressing issue?  

The most glaring problem and one that tech companies are trying their level best to solve stems from the fact that these apparent disparities are actually bad for the technology itself. Women make up half of technology products and services. It seems like it should be a given to have women in decision making positions to help define and gauge the trajectory of the company which could result positively economically and socially. 

 Another study by Deloitte has gone further to enforce this notion, “Women’s choices impact up to 85 percent of purchasing decisions. To some analyses, they account for $4.3 trillion of total U.S. consumer spending of $5.9 trillion, making women the largest single economic force not just in the United States but in the world. By keeping women out, you may be at risk of losing out economically.  

Malaysia’s Women in Tech  

In Malaysia, women make up 35% of the technology workforce, and the numbers are predicted to see a steady rise in the coming years. With the launch of the Malaysian Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDIGITAL) in 2020, the Malaysian government along with its respective agencies, have introduced a multitude of programs aimed at empowering women through technology and continuing the nation’s efforts in leading the digital economy forward as well as realizing Malaysia 5.0.   

What makes Malaysia stand out is that our idea of Women in Tech expands beyond the four walls confining an office but also includes the women entrepreneurs that have taken their businesses online and have become an integral backbone to Malaysia’s boom in online businesses and services that skyrocketed since the pandemic which sees no signs of slowing down, much less halt.  

Our aim in introducing the Breaking Barriers: Women in Tech in collaboration with Microsoft is to provide women in Malaysia with a platform to equip themselves with current essential technical skills to bridge technological barriers and gaps that are evident between women and tech. This campaign in specific will highlight two emerging technologies – Data and Artificial Intelligence. So, whether you are upskilling to climb the ladder, or are planning to foray into a new field, we can assure you that the Data and AI (Artificial Intelligence) training courses can help on your skilling journey, no matter what stage you are at. 

As Malaysia progresses into a new dawn of digitalization, the targets outlined within the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint, are aimed at transforming Malaysia into a regional leader in the digital economy. Microsoft has been integral support and a key player in Malaysia’s journey through their ‘Bersama Malaysia’ initiative which will see through 1 million Malaysians upskill in digital skills and fortification of our nation’s infrastructure. Bolstering women as we take the digital leap is imperative for the overall growth of the country.  

If meaningful change and impact are to be seen within the field of technology in Malaysia as well as the world, there needs to be a gender balance across the industry at every level. Join us to inspire success make an impact to secure the future of women.