This Thursday, April 25th, is the International Day of Girls in ICT (Information and Communication Technologies). In this context, S2 Grupo, a company specialized in cybersecurity and cyberintelligence, has implemented measures to promote the presence of women experts in ICT in its workforce, aiming to reach at least 26% by 2028. Currently, the presence of women in engineering in Spain is 20%, while their presence in S2 Grupo’s team reaches 22%.
According to a study by the Observatory of Engineering in Spain, women represent 55% of the student body in public universities. However, only 20% of them are in the field of engineering. And out of this small group, 16% opt for Computer Engineering and 19% for Industrial Engineering.
“Despite the underrepresentation of women in higher studies in Computer Science, it is important to highlight that female participation is increasing, with 11,129 women enrolled in these types of studies. While they only make up 16.2%, this represents almost 80% more than 6 years ago. And it’s worth noting that they have better performance indicators, both in terms of success rate and completion time,” explained Miriam Vitón, Director of Talent Management at S2 Grupo.
“Achieving gender parity will take more than a century on a global scale. It is not just a problem in Spain, but this gap exists in the Spanish digital ecosystem and needs to be addressed. In 2022, women represented 24.74% in the ICT sector. In specialized fields such as data-related areas, women represent less than 10%. While in others like cybersecurity or Artificial Intelligence, their presence is still minimal. This requires the involvement of everyone to find solutions,” she added.
In this context, S2 Grupo emphasized the importance of enhancing the increase of female talent in computer and cybersecurity teams. The gender gap in the ICT sector reflects deeply rooted inequalities in society. Addressing this gap is a crucial step towards equal opportunities and empowering women in all areas of life.
Specifically, the computer and cybersecurity sector faces a severe shortage of talent in many fields (according to data from the INE, 61% of companies looking for ICT specialists in 2022 had difficulty filling their positions). By opening the doors to more highly qualified women, the pool of available talent expands and better addresses the growing demand for technology and digital security professionals. This will “help bring different perspectives and approaches to software development and cybersecurity management,” according to S2 Grupo.
Traditionally, women have been underrepresented in the computer sector. Promoting the inclusion of women in technology roles is not only a matter of equity, but also contributes to creating a more diverse and representative sector of society as a whole, as indicated by the company. They further added that “gender diversity in the workplace contributes to creating a more inclusive and enriching work environment.”
“In summary, reducing the gender gap in the ICT sector is essential to promote equity, drive economic development, foster innovation, ensure inclusive leadership, and provide equal opportunities for everyone in the digital economy of the 21st century,” stated the Director of Talent Management at S2 Grupo.
S2 Grupo: Strategy to increase the percentage of female ICT experts in their workforce
In this context, S2 Grupo, as part of their ESG project #Evoluciona2, has launched various initiatives aimed at achieving the goal of increasing the presence of female experts in some ICT areas in their workforce by 26% in the next 4 years. These initiatives include:
1. S2CyberYouth Workshops: dedicated to high school students. These workshops aim to inspire and motivate young people, especially women, to explore and engage in careers in STEAM areas. Through interactive workshops, motivational talks, and mentorship sessions, students can firsthand learn about the opportunities and challenges of the technological world.
2. Motivational Talks at Universities: continue organizing talks at universities, showcasing role models and female leaders in the STEAM sector to inspire and guide female students considering technical careers.
3. Enhanced Presence at Job Fairs and Universities: intensify S2 Grupo’s presence at job and academic events, focusing on attracting young women to the ICT and STEAM sectors through participation in panels, job fairs, and open-house events.
4. Visibility and Leadership of Women at S2 Grupo: actively promote the presence of women technical professionals from S2 Grupo in conferences, presentations, and relevant forums. This approach not only increases the visibility of women in these fields but also establishes them as key figures and references within the industry.