Canadian Female Students Uninterested in IT Careers
It’s boring’ ranks as number one response as to why female students are not pursuing technology-focused career, according to new survey released by Microsoft Canada
MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 1, 2006 - Although 75 per cent of female students in Canada claim to be proficient using a computer in their daily lives and have a strong interest in using a wide range of technologies, only 28 per cent are considering careers in IT, according to a survey released today by Microsoft Canada Co. In contrast, almost 50 per cent of males are interested in a technology-focused career and nearly 80 per cent of students surveyed felt that women were easily able to enter and succeed in the IT field.
Of the respondents who weren’t interested in an IT career, 35 per cent of both male and female students ranked “it’s boring” as the number one reason. Not knowing anything about technology was listed as the second most important reason by female and male students, at 25 per cent and 16 per cent respectively. Male students were also more likely to cite pay (six per cent) and a poor job market (eight per cent) than female respondents (two per cent and three per cent).
“It’s clear from the survey that students are very interested in using technology in their day-to-day lives, yet they’re not interested in taking those skills to the next level by turning them into a career. As a result, more work is needed to help students not only understand technology, but to understand the career opportunities that technology can provide,” said Daniel Shapiro, Academic Program Manager, Microsoft Canada.
For the 36.3 per cent of students who responded that they were interested in pursuing technology-focused careers, more than 40 per cent of those male students said it was because they love technology - only 28 per cent of female students responded the same. Females who were looking to enter the IT field cited job availability (20 per cent) and more interesting work opportunities (40 per cent) as their primary reasons.
Students were nearly unanimous about the importance of being technology-savvy; 90.6 per cent of students felt that it was important to have computer skills to finish their education. However, when asked if they felt their school had prepared them in IT and technology for post-secondary education, career and everyday life, just under 50 per cent agreed that their school had prepared them well.
“Unfortunately, these survey results show that there is a small number of students entering into IT careers and that is a serious issue for the Canadian technology landscape,” said Shapiro. “For Canada to stay competitive in this area, we need bright and passionate students to continue to turn their technology habits into technology careers - and we all need to do something about it. Microsoft is committed to helping students innovate and succeed using software, and we are dedicated to working with schools to get students engaged and interested in a career in IT.”
Other interesting findings:
| • | 69 per cent of female students and 66 per cent of male students claimed that having a friend entering into an IT program didn’t seem to make a large difference in whether they would also be interested in entering IT programs |
| • | When asked about their relationship with technology, 31 per cent of females said they were apprehensive about new technology, but once they knew how to use it, they felt comfortable |
| • | 51 per cent of male students love trying the latest technology compared to only 27 per cent of female students |
| • | 77 per cent of males expressed more interest in learning about computers and IT than females (64 per cent) |
| • | Survey respondents who felt that women could not succeed in the IT field, cited three reasons: male dominated field, males have stronger computer skills/aptitude for IT and females have less interest in the field |
The online survey of Canadian students from grade 11 to second-year university and college students from ages 17-20, was conducted by Youthography.
About Microsoft Canada
Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq "MSFT") the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has 10 regional offices across the country dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. For more information on Microsoft Canada, please visit www.microsoft.ca
©2006 Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
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