#PressForProgress in STEM this International Women’s Day

On March 8, more than 100 countries around the world celebrate International Women’s Day. It is a day to honor the achievements of women throughout our history, and to recognize and accelerate the work that still needs to be done to reach gender parity.

Since the United Nations began celebrating March 8 as International Women’s Day in 1977, the day has continued to serve as a guide to galvanize collective action and advancement in women’s rights. This year’s theme is #PressForProgress.

• Only 24 percent of STEM jobs are held by women, even though they make up nearly half the overall workforce.
• In 2015, 18 percent of Computer Science majors were women—and that’s actually only two-thirds of what it was in 2003

The reality behind these statistics hits close to home to us and our place in the tech industry. We believe by encouraging more women to pursue careers and stay in careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), we can make positive a impact toward closing the gender gap. All technology companies can take action – large and small – to make a difference. For instance, this month, we will be selecting Ensono women from around the globe to attend prominent STEM conferences, to engage with peers and thought leaders and be inspired by the career they chose.

The numbers don’t lie. Simply put, we need to do a better job of encouraging women to pursue careers in tech, and create a better environment for women to thrive in our industry.

This International Women’s Day, we’ll continue to #PressForProgress in our corner of the tech consulting industry, so that more women are included—and empowered—in STEM.

You can find a short video I made where I talk about the inspiring women in my life.