Women in IT: development, challenges and opportunities

We reflect on the journey of women in the tech field based on statistics and the experience of our colleague Svitlana Krainyk, Senior Test Automation QA at Netminds.

IT is not about gender; it's about knowledge. But has it always been this way? A few years ago, women in technology were more of an exception. Today, their presence has significantly increased. According to DOU, the share of women in Ukrainian IT grew from 7% in 2011 to 24% in 2023. (dou.ua).

According to European Union data, women make up only 19% of ICT specialists in the EU (digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu). In Bulgaria, this figure reaches 29%. In Poland, the share of women in tech positions is around 16.7% (beetroot.co).

Not just coding: What roles do women choose? Half of all IT specialists are developers, but only 8% of them are women. A significantly larger number of women work as testers (36% of the total number of specialists) and managers (39%). (dou.ua)

Our colleague’s story

"I studied in a humanities class with an emphasis on English, but I always felt inclined toward analytics. Kyiv Polytechnic gave me a solid technical education, and my knowledge of English opened up career opportunities: even as a strong junior-mid, I got a chance for a business trip to New York."

Balancing career and personal life: myth or reality?

"Support from the employer and flexible working conditions play a key role. I took maternity leave in Poland, and when I returned, I was able to gradually adapt to work thanks to part-time employment and the possibility of working from home."

Women in technology: stereotypes vs. reality

"I haven’t faced prejudice against women in IT; on the contrary, I’ve received support. However, I do notice a tendency where women are more often offered routine tasks, although their potential allows them to succeed in both creative and technical areas."

Women in tech: a global movement for equality

Last year, our colleague attended the Women in Tech conference in Warsaw. The event featured not only IT specialists but also government representatives discussing how women can influence both the tech and political spheres. A unique feature of the event was the child-friendly zone, allowing mothers to combine professional development and parenthood.

Statistics Speak for Themselves

In the past five years, the number of female entrepreneurs in Ukraine has significantly increased. As of December 31, 2024, out of 2.3 million individual entrepreneurs, 1.1 million were women, making up 48.1%. (minfin.com.ua) These trends show that women are increasingly entering the IT sector and entrepreneurship, breaking stereotypes and making significant contributions to the development of the tech industry.

What does being a woman in IT mean to you? Share your story!