International Women’s Day 2023 – A Brighter Future for Women in Tech

For as long as we have known, women have been faced with closed off opportunities in most things. From publishing books, earning your own income and more, women have been swept aside to fulfil positions in life that not everyone wishes to be in.

Though we have come a long way , we still face a gender bias in many fields. This is especially prevalent in fields with a more scientific/mathematic angle. From birth, school and beyond, there is a underlying idea of who we should be. Though not as prevalent as before, the divide is still ever so present (Albeit more behind closed curtains).

Our own CEO, Katerina Damcova, had faced many such struggles within the IT industry. From a young age she has been passionate about technology and has shown that she is incredibly talented, passionate and knowledgeable in it. Despite that, there have been many times, in the past, where she has not been taken as seriously to her male counterparts. And for what? In her Pax 8 interview last year, Katerina had mentioned that: “Men and women are often held to different standards within the industry, with female employees having to work twice as hard for the same recognition as their male peers”.

You can read more about her thoughts on empowering women in tech here: Empowering Women In Tech | Pax8 Blog

With running her own own business, Katerina strives to challenge the gender bias. She continues to open up opportunities and encourage women to go forth in what they want, especially within the IT industry. Currently, our overall ratio of females at IQ in IT is 38.5%! It’s an encouraging ratio considering how male-dominated the industry currently is.

With time, Katerina and everyone at IQ in IT want to continue encouraging women to join this field. Over the years, our team has gone to many local schools, colleges and universities to encourage people regardless of their gender, ethnicity, or disability to join the IT industry. It can be daunting to enter such a field but if you are passionate about tech, nothing should stop you.

But what do women in tech in really feel like when it comes to working in this industry? Here are some thoughts from some of our female employees:

Kristen

I took an interest in IT and computing when I was around eight or nine years old, and I had my first hardware repair job at sixteen. Now I’m twenty four and working for a managed service provider, so I think I’ve been a part of this industry for a nice chunk of time. The IT and computing industry is fast paced, constantly evolving, and very male dominated. My experience with my colleagues has always been pleasant, even if a little misguided at times- but I’ve always felt like women in this industry have to prove themselves even more so when it comes to client perception. I’ve also come to notice over time that all of my successful female colleagues and superiors have very assertive personalities; as if it is a requirement!

Alex

Working at IQ in IT is a challenging yet fulfilling experience, There are new challenges everyday but the amount I have learned by being on the job only a year surprises even me sometimes. I really feel like I’m gaining new skills and knowledge every day!

Kafia

Having come from a nearly non-existent technological background, being brought under someone’s wing to learn the ropes of IT has been challenging yet very interesting. As a woman, especially from a South Asian background, you’re not often encouraged to go into a field that is more male-dominated. You’re taught to play it safe and go along with how it’s always been. To that I say: No! Regardless of where my future goes, having the technological knowledge taught here will help me in all facets of life. Technology is the now and will continue to be in the future. I hope to continue expanding my knowledge on how everything works and bring that knowledge to other things in the future.

With this, I hope you had a wonderful day celebrating International Women’s Day. It may only come around once a year but advocacy for all women is an all year round thing.

As a business, we want to continue encouraging everyone to achieve their best without any gender, disability, or ethnicity bias. We at IQ in IT are proud of our diverse work force and we hope to encourage others to do the same.

Want to hear more about how being a Women in Tech is like? Read from our previous blogs down below:

Women in Tech – IQ in IT

International Women’s day 2021 – I choose to challenge gender bias in technology – IQ in IT