Statistics Show Generation Z Bodes Well for the Future of Women in Technology

Though women hold fewer than 1 in 4 computer, math and engineering jobs, IT executive Monica Eaton-Cardone believes the girls of Generation Z will swell the ranks of women in tech.

Tampa Bay, Fla. (PRWEB) July 03, 2017

According to the latest government statistics, women account for less than 1 in 4 computer, math and engineering occupations(1) and just 1 in 5 computer sciences and engineering bachelor's degrees.(2) Yet Monica Eaton-Cardone, an IT executive with expertise in risk management and fraud prevention, sees promising signs that Generation Z will expand the presence of women in technology.

The latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data reveals that while women represent 46.8% of the labor force, they fill only 24.7% of computer and mathematical occupations and just 15.1% of architecture and engineering jobs.(1) And though women earned more than 57% of all bachelor's degrees for the last 10 years on record, the National Science Foundation (NSF) reports that the proportion of women earning computer sciences and engineering degrees has fallen during that time and hovers below 20%. NSF records show that women's attainment of computer sciences degrees fell from 25.1% in 2004 to 17.9% in 2009 before inching up to 18.1% in 2014, while the percentage who earned engineering degrees declined from 20.5% to 18.1% before rising to 19.8%.(2)

"More women earn degrees than men, yet they remain woefully underrepresented in science, engineering, technology and math—or ‘STEM'—fields," said Eaton-Cardone, who serves as Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Global Risk Technologies and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Chargebacks911. "Although the current statistics may seem discouraging, there are signs of a growing interest in STEM careers among girls and young women, and I believe Generation Z will spearhead greater gender diversity in technology roles."

Eaton-Cardone points to numerous indicators cited in a TechCrunch article; for example, young girls are taking high-level mathematics and science courses at similar rates as male students, and eighth-grade girls outperformed their male peers in a national technology and engineering literacy test. A growing number of women are enrolling in postsecondary STEM programs; in fact, Harvey Mudd College reported in 2013 that female engineering majors outnumbered males for the first time, and females also accounted for 47% of the school's computer science majors. In addition, leading tech corporations such as Oracle and Google have begun investing millions of dollars to help girls develop valuable technology skills.(3)

"Children born from the mid-90s onward have been exposed to information technology their entire lives, making technological literacy a defining characteristic of Generation Z," asserted Eaton-Cardone. "Girls of this generation are less intimidated by technology and more likely to embrace the creative and problem-solving aspects of STEM careers. Within the next decade, I expect women will account for a much greater proportion of technology and engineering occupations."

To help promote this growth, Eaton-Cardone urges educators to nurture girls who demonstrate an aptitude for science and math, and calls on career counselors to underscore the earning potential of technology and engineering jobs. Statistics show that women in STEM occupations earn 33% more than those in non-STEM roles, and they typically experience a much smaller gender pay gap.(4) With many employers facing shortages of qualified candidates, Eaton-Cardone advises tech companies to invest in STEM programs for girls to maintain a strong pool of talent. She also encourages women in technology leadership roles to step up as mentors and help prepare the next generation of female IT professionals and engineers.

As a strong proponent of women in business and technology, Monica Eaton-Cardone welcomes the opportunity to meet with fellow female tech innovators at upcoming industry conferences and events, where she frequently presents on topics relating to fraud prevention, financial technology (FinTech) and security best practices. She is also available for interviews and future speaking engagements. For more information, visit http://monicaec.com.

About Monica Eaton-Cardone:

Monica Eaton-Cardone is an accomplished entrepreneur, speaker, author and industry thought leader who is internationally recognized for her expertise in risk management, chargeback mitigation, fraud prevention and merchant education. Eaton-Cardone found her calling as an entrepreneur when she sold her first business at the age of 19. She later became an eCommerce merchant; and after grappling with chargebacks and fraud, she took it upon herself to develop a comprehensive, robust solution that combined agile technologies and human insights. Today, Eaton-Cardone's innovations are helping thousands of organizations achieve sustainable growth, and she continues to pioneer loss-prevention best practices as CIO of Global Risk Technologies and COO of Chargebacks911. Eaton-Cardone is a champion of women in IT and business leadership, and aims to inspire the next generation of young innovators through her nonprofit organization, Get Paid for Grades. Get to know her at http://www.monicaec.com.

1.    U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Women in the Labor Force: A Databook; April 2017; pages 2, 66–67. bls.gov/opub/reports/womens-databook/2016/pdf/home.pdf

2.    National Science Foundation. Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering; August 2016; Tables 5-1 and 9-2. nsf.gov/statistics/2017/nsf17310/data.cfm

3.    Bawa, Taha. "How Generation Z Females Could Be the Answer to Tech's Gender Diversity Problem"; TechCrunch; July 17, 2016. techcrunch.com/2016/07/17/how-generation-z-females-could-be-the-answer-to-techs-gender-diversity-problem/

4.    Kendall, Tyler. "Experts: Collaborate to Create Next Generation of Women in STEM"; U.S. News & World Report; March 21, 2016. usnews.com/news/articles/2016-03-21/experts-collaborate-to-create-next-generation-of-women-in-stem

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