Join Volta and ICTC for a session on Empowering Women in the Digital Economy: Addressing Tech’s Untapped Potential.

Description:

Gender diversity in leadership leads to increased intellectual diversity and is associated with profitability and innovation. Strengthening gender diversity is critical to Canada’s digital economy.

Nevertheless, gender diversity is challenged at the senior level in Canada’s digital economy. While the proportion of women in tech is on the rise, many women in tech belong to younger cohorts and occupy junior-level roles. Women aged 45–54—the age group that would typically hold most mid- and senior-level roles—is the slowest growing cohort in the digital economy. Women in Canada are underrepresented in management roles across the economy, and this trend holds true for digital economy management occupations. Women’s representation in upper-level roles appears to be low because many women opt out of the digital economy mid-career – seeking work in other sectors.

ICTC’s new study provides insights into why women leave the tech sector mid-career. This study finds that systemic barriers at varying levels of the technology ecosystem result in the digital economy being inconducive to women’s success, ultimately resulting in women seeking work in other sectors. In addition to identifying these barriers, the report recommends solutions, in the form of a tool kit to help advance women into mid- and senior-level roles.

This talk presented by VOLTA and ICTC will explore these key findings further, digging into specific barriers women in tech face, and presenting actionable solutions that can be implemented to build a more inclusive digital economy for women and other people of marginalized genders.