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Why IT really is women's work

Posted on 16 Jun 2008 at 17:22

In fact, the industry's new-found reliance on outsourcing means women have never been better placed to compete with the boys, according to Dr Black. "For me it's a good thing for women in this country, as we'll need a lot more managers," she said. "In general, women are better than men in getting people to communicate with each other, so [outsourcing] is an opportunity for women to grasp the nettle and go into IT for that reason.

"It used to be about programming but nowadays it's a lot to do with communication. It's about people understanding technology and or getting people to communicate to solve the right problems. Historically, things have gone wrong in the IT industry because we've either solved the wrong problem or solved something in the wrong way, so users won't use it. It's time to stake a claim and play a critical role."

The message to women with an interest and the aptitude is clear. Act now: your industry needs you!

Author: Maggie Holland