Women in IT – Making a Difference BCS North London Chapter 16 April 2008

Women in IT – Making a Difference Page 2 Agenda Women in IT – Facts and Figures Why do we care? How do we attract, retain and promote more women in IT? Additional Perspectives Industry Career Development and Mobility Networking Panel Discussion / Q&A

Women in IT – Making a Difference Page 3 Our Panel Jamie MacLean, Partner, Ernst & Young Judith Lewis, Search Manager, Centaur Maggie Berry, Director, womenintechnology.co.uk Nicole Mathison, Co-organiser of Girl Geeks

Women in IT – Making a Difference Page Guide to Hiring Women The following is an excerpt from the July 1943 issue of Transportation Magazine. This was written for male supervisors of women in the work force during World War II. "Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees: There's no longer any question whether transit companies should hire women for jobs formerly held by men. The draft and manpower shortage has settled that point. The important things now are to select the most efficient women available and how to use them to the best advantage. Here are eleven helpful tips on the subject from Western Properties: 1. Pick young married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility than their unmarried sisters, they're less likely to be flirtatious, they need the work or they wouldn't be doing it, they still have the pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public efficiently. 2. When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked outside the home at some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy. It's always well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and courtesy. 3. General experience indicates that "husky" girls - those who are just a little on the heavy side - are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters. 4. Retain a physician to give each woman you hire a special physical examination - one covering female conditions. This step not only protects the property against the possibilities of lawsuit, but reveals whether the employee-to-be has any female weaknesses which would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job. 5. Stress at the outset the importance of time the fact that a minute or two lost here and there makes serious inroads on schedules. Until this point is gotten across, service is likely to be slowed up. 6. Give the female employee a definite day-long schedule of duties so that they'll keep busy without bothering the management for instructions every few minutes. Numerous properties say that women make excellent workers when they have their jobs cut out for them, but that they lack initiative in finding work themselves. 7. Whenever possible, let the inside employee change from one job to another at some time during the day. Women are inclined to be less nervous and happier with change. 8. Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day. 9. Be tactful when issuing instructions or in making criticisms. Women are often sensitive; they can't shrug off harsh words the way men do. Never ridicule a woman - it breaks her spirit and cuts off her efficiency. 10. Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a girl's husband or father may swear vociferously, she'll grow to dislike a place of business where she hears too much of this. 11. Get enough size variety in operator's uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can't be stressed too much in keeping women happy."

Women in IT – Making a Difference Page 5 Women in Employment (UK) Source: Uncovering Womens Inequality in the UK: Statistics (Womens Resource Centre - April 07) In 2006, female graduates earned, on average, 15% less than their male counterparts at the age of 24, with this gender pay gap widening with age (increasing to 40.5% for women graduates aged 41-45). The gender pay gap in the UK is one of the highest in Europe: women who work full-time earn 17% less per hour than men and women working part-time earn 39% less per hour than men working full-time. About 30,000 women in the UK leave their jobs each year because of pregnancy discrimination. Women in full-time employment spend nearly 30% more time on childcare every day than men in full-time employment.

Women in IT – Making a Difference Page 6 Women in the IT industry (from the Women and Equality Unit) The IT industry is currently facing a skills shortage in a number of areas - it is keen to recruit qualified engineers, technicians and software developers. Despite this factor, the number of women working in the industry is falling. Recent statistics show that women make up a fifth of employees in the whole IT sector. When you look at specific jobs involving the development and production of technology, the figure drops still further. In 1997, women made up 27% of those working in the IT sector. By 2003 that figure had dropped to 20%. Within the sector, women make up 27% of database assistants and clerks, but only 7% of IT strategy and planning professionals Women make up less than a quarter of computer science graduates in the UK Over the ten years to 2002,the number of girls taking technology at A-level increased by just over a third Girls consistently outperform boys (albeit marginally) at A-level technology In the UK, girls tend to disengage from IT subjects between the ages of 11 and 15.

Women in IT – Making a Difference Page 7 So what? Why do we care? What women can add to your business Workforce shortage / Talent wars Knowledge Economy - Talent has become the worlds most sought-after commodity. (Economist 2006) Emerging and competitive economies – gender equality strengthens long-term economic development Maximizing return on investment Smart Leadership Teams Multicultural, diverse and changing world Generation Y Womens influence and buying power Represent half the market 80% of consumer purchasing decisions

Women in IT – Making a Difference Page 8 How do we attract, retain and promote more women in IT? Awareness Making gender a business issue vs. a womens issue Celebrating and optimizing the differences Education for management in addition to support for women Role Models Profiling women for their success Recruitment Specific targets (not quotas) Focused recruitment

Women in IT – Making a Difference Page 9 How do we attract, retain and promote more women in IT? Flexibility Not just a women and children issue Different styles Career Path Mentoring Formal and informal Proactive engagement Networking Reaching out – encouraging participation Internal External

Women in IT – Making a Difference Page 10 How do we attract, retain and promote more women in IT? Career development, progression and mobility Asking the question… Give women the opportunity to say yes Boosting confidence Managing transitions Monitoring progress Individual Corporate Senior level sponsorship Message Budget Cultural change

Women in IT – Making a Difference Page 11 Additional Perspectives Judith Lewis - Industry Maggie Berry - Career Development and Mobility Nicole Mathison - Networking Panel Discussion / Questions & Answers

Women in IT – Making a Difference Page 12 Disclaimer This preliminary document has been prepared by Ernst & Young. The information and opinions contained in this document are derived from public and private sources which we believe to be reliable and accurate but which, without further investigation, cannot be warranted as to their accuracy, completeness or correctness. This information is supplied on the condition that Ernst & Young, and any partner or employee of Ernst & Young, are not liable for any error or inaccuracy contained herein, whether negligently caused or otherwise, or for loss or damage suffered by any person due to such error, omission or inaccuracy as a result of such supply. In particular any numbers, initial valuations and schedules contained in this document are preliminary and are for discussion purposes only. The UK firm Ernst & Young LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC and is a member practice of Ernst & Young Global.