TROY – Though women often assume differently, the career opportunities available to them as a result of their knowledge of mobile and wireless technologies are almost limitless and cross many industries. To help them get educated about a few of those career options, the ‘Women in Mobile/Wireless Tech’ Advisory Council of the Mobile Technology Association of Michigan will be hosting a careers event on April 21 in Troy.

This event will feature women working in the areas of App Development, UX/UI, Ethics in Hacking, and Agile, and will provide an opportunity for attendees to engage in round table discussions on each topic. Attendees will participate in all four topics on a rotating basis.

“It’s so important for women to understand the amazing opportunity available to them and the fact that they are indeed well-suited to mobile and wireless tech careers,” said MTAM Executive Director Linda Daichendt. 

“It’s also important that we prepare them with ways to adapt to the existing culture they’ll find in many tech environments so they can be successful. When even the largest and most sought-after firms in our country are struggling to find women to fill available job openings – and to keep them once hired, it’s clear we need to do a better job of educating them and preparing them to go after and retain these lucrative positions. We expect this careers event to be a good start in helping Michigan’s efforts to achieving growth of women in these careers.”

Studies reflect the seriousness of the need for women to have increased awareness of the opportunities in mobile/wireless tech, as well as an understanding of how to go after – and keep – these positions: 

  • A recent study of 50 telecom companies indicated that females made up less than 40 percent of the workforce in three-quarters of them (GSMA)
  • The number of female CTOs in the tech industry has remained static at only 14 percent since 2004 (Gartner)
  • In 2013 26 percent of computing jobs in the US were held by women, which is down from 35% in 1990 (American Association of University Women)
  • A recent study of 12-year-ol girls found that 50 percent thought that STEM subjects were too difficult and 47 percent claimed these types of activities were better suited to their male counterparts (Accenture)
  • 41 percent of women working in tech eventually end up leaving the field compared to 17 percent of men (Harvard Business Review)
  • Investors preferred tech entrepreneurial ventures pitched by a man more than an identical pitch from a women by a rate of 68 percent to 32 percent (Joint study by HBS, Wharton and MIT Sloan)
  • A study of performance reviews on high-performers in tech revealed that negative personality criticism (such as abrasive, strident, or irrational) showed up in 85 percent of reviews for women and just 2 percent of reviews for men. (Yale)

Information about MTAM can be found at www.GoMobileMichigan.org.