Women continue to be underrepresented in STEM majors, but a new study from Handshake indicates that despite not having that exposure a significant portion of women apply for developer and engineer jobs. After reviewing more than 100,000 women job applicants using the Handshake platform from June 1st, 2018 and May 31st, 2019, it was found that 35% of women applying for those two technology roles did not have a STEM major. .
Women’s numbers in these areas are trending up, with a notable 227% increase of women applying to be data engineers since last year. Again, that while there still is a gap in STEM majors, over half of the women applying for software positions possess technical experience like Python, Data Analysis, Java, or SQL on their resumes.
The study also revealed that businesses with a supportive culture, inspiring leadership, managers who serve as mentors, and impactful work are most attractive to recent women graduates. Cisco attracted the most applications from women, with Wayfair in second place, followed by Microsoft and Oracle, and then Dropbox and Adobe Systems.
Geographically New York is in first place for attracting female applicants in software and internet industries. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Boston round out the top five. .
Christine Cruzvergara, Vice President of Higher Education and Student Success at Handshake, addresses improvements being seen, “By no means have the challenges facing women entering the tech workforce disappeared, but this survey’s results suggest an encouraging trend with women remaining undeterred and persevering despite the obstacles. The results serve as further inspiration for us as we work in conjunction with our university and employer partners to help connect women with opportunities that will make impactful change in their lives and in society at large.”
