It cannot be denied that the majority of employees in the IT industry are men – only 30% of people employed in this sector are women. However, recent years have shown that more and more employers are actively encouraging women to work in this sector. Many women are considering embarking on such a career, but certain environmental stereotypes still create fears and barriers that are difficult to break through. Most women who think about changing their profession wonder what skills are worth acquiring at the very beginning in order to successfully integrate into the IT industry. We advise you on where to start to ensure a successful start.
HTML and CSS are the basis
HTML is not a programming language, but a markup language, but in combination with CSS it allows you to create your own web pages. In addition, it provides a basic knowledge of what websites should consist of – especially the frontend, which is what the user sees. Knowledge of HTML, websites and browsers is the basis that we can successfully learn without large financial outlays and check if we really want to deal with it. In the IT industry, passion is the most important thing. People who want to do it mainly for money may have a problem keeping up with trends that change very dynamically in IT. If you are honestly not interested in a given topic, the pressure of continuous learning can be difficult to overcome.
This kind of knowledge is always best tested in practice by creating your own websites and applications. Learning HTML allows you to gradually deepen your knowledge and provides the basis for faster learning of programming languages such as Python or JavaScript.
Paid IT courses
A several-week intensive course in a programming school can be an excellent way to quickly acquire the qualifications needed to pursue your dream job. Many schools offer convenient solutions in the form of distance learning, evening or weekend learning, so that we do not have to give up our current profession. IT schools offer not only programming courses, but also those that prepare for other types of professions, such as an SEO specialist. Such a rich offer gives us more opportunities to choose a future career.
What can often deter many people from using such courses is their high price, which usually costs several thousand zlotys. However, it is worth getting interested in it and looking for a way to get funding. There are different ways to help fund these courses. It can be, for example, a loan, co-financing under the Development Services Database, the National Training Fund or the Labor Office. There is also an option to take out a loan or an OPEN loan, or Invest in Development. Such solutions can cover 100% of the course price and with timely repayments, you can apply for the redemption of part of the loan.
On-line courses for money-savers
An excellent solution is also to take advantage of free or paid (but still cheaper than stationary) on-line courses. You should do a thorough research of this type of solutions and pay special attention to opinions, updates and content. In the IT world, the merits of such a course may turn out to be particularly important. Courses must be up-to-date, because no one wants to learn a technology that was completely different at the time when they were created.
Online courses are also a great way to test yourself in several different technologies. With a small amount of time and money, we can check what we feel best in and, for example, compare the learning of frontend, backend or testing with each other. These types of courses can be an excellent introduction to learning a specific professional path in a more expensive programming school – we are sure that we will choose what really interests us.
Support groups and conferences
There are many dedicated groups (e.g. on Facebook) where girls who are thinking about entering the IT industry can share their knowledge and experiences with other women. This kind of platform makes it possible to receive and give support in a very friendly atmosphere.
Many cities in Poland organize various types of conferences and workshops devoted to women in IT. This is a great opportunity to supplement your knowledge and learn about current trends, but also get to know the industry and potential employers better.
It is worth taking inspiration from everywhere and remembering that women were the first programmers. Even before the advent of personal computers, when computers filled the space of the entire room, ladies made up almost half of the IT staff. It is worth getting acquainted with the biographies of such characters as, for example, Ada Lovelace. Inspirations of this kind make us realize that technologies or programming are not only related to the world of men.
More than 40% of women in IT have managed to change industries
It is worth knowing that despite the initial blockades, women more often decide to change the industry than men. According to statistics, in 2020 as many as 42% of women decided to switch to IT. Gentlemen who decided to work in IT after changing the industry account for 30% of the respondents.
Many women in IT have extensive experience, education and professional qualifications. Most of them graduated from computer science or other technical faculties. Many of them changed their branches after graduating in humanities, social sciences or mathematics and natural sciences. Women in IT know 4 programming languages on average.
Women in IT in managerial positions
It turns out that as many as 15% of women in IT work in support teams or manage projects. This is the same as for men who work in management positions. Such statistics allow us to conclude that the chances of promotion in the industry are equal for both genders.
Become an IT specialist
As you can see, there are many misconceptions about women and the IT industry that shouldn’t be trusted. There are many ways to enter the world of programming and technology, and not everyone is associated with high time and financial costs. It is not worth trusting stereotypes that limit our potential. If you are a woman interested in the IT industry, it is worth taking up this challenge and trying your first steps in your career by following our advice or looking for a start on your own.
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