Tracey Donnery
Executive Director of Development at Skillnets
The next six years will see about 44,500 job openings for people with ICT (information and communications technology) skills. With the right support, now is the time for women with STEM experience to get back into the workforce.
“In Ireland, there are nearly 118,000 people working in jobs that utilise STEM skills. However, the proportion of women employed in such roles stands at less than 25 per cent”. This information comes from Tracey Donnery, Executive Director of Development at Skillnets. “Core to the success of technology businesses based in Ireland is the availability of talent. Ongoing investment in new skills is vital for the retention of key talent and long-term business success. More jobs are emerging in the tech sector for those with high-level STEM skills. In fact, it’s very important for women to see the range of career opportunities these skills can bring.” Overall, women may need help to reboot their careers after a break however.
Working with enterprise
Skillnets works at the forefront of learning and development in Ireland. Furthermore, it has recently been internationally recognised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This recognition is as an example of OECD best practice. Donnery says: “Our model facilitates companies and individuals to undertake leading edge training in demand from enterprise. Skillnets networks are established in STEM areas including ICT, software, medtech, animation, pharmachem, Fintech, space, aviation, and engineering.”
Supporting Women
Through Skillnets, the tech sector is taking strides to encourage more women to progress to leadership positions. Similarly it sims to attract women with existing STEM experience back into the workforce. Donnery also says, “Women who have left the sector often feel things have moved too far for them to return; consequently they can lack confidence in their ability and need to familiarise themselves with new technologies and business models. One excellent initiative is our Software Skillnets ‘Women ReBOOT’ programme. Supported by Technology Ireland, it’s for the pool of female tech talent who have taken a break from the sector.”
There is a crying need for experienced talent in the software and technology sectors. With some re-training, many women returners could perfectly meet this need.
It is the first programme of its kind to bridge the gap between talented, professional women and tech employers – with over 20 technology companies supporting it, including Microsoft, MongoDB, SAP, Openet, Liberty IT, Datalex, Ocuco, Xilinx and Accenture.
Joe Hogan, Founder of Openet, explains: “There is a crying need for experienced talent in the software and technology sectors. With some re-training, many women returners could perfectly meet this need. Their abilities would be a huge asset to many companies.”
The value of re-training to ReBoot women
Women ReBOOT is designed to provide a learning and support framework: building confidence, establishing new professional networks and updating skills. Software Skillnet Director, Maire Hunt, says, “We are seeing that the gender imbalance in the tech sector increases over time. Across the EU, twenty per cent of women aged 30, with ICT-related degrees work, in the sector but only nine per cent of women above 45 years of age do so. Our first Women ReBOOT has already helped 28 tech women to return to the sector.”
I had been out of the workforce for 10 years. Three months later you couldn’t tell the difference.
For example, Caoimhe Carton, a recent graduate of Women ReBOOT, says, “Even applying was a challenge for someone who had been out of the workforce for 10 years. Three months later I can’t tell you the difference in my confidence levels and how much more prepared I feel about returning to the workforce. Undoubtedly it’s been amazing and life-changing.”
