4 ms·

Half of Women Will Leave Their Tech Job by Age 35, Study Finds

3 points by MrXOR 6y ago

phendrenad2 6y ago
It would be interesting to see statistics on what jobs they transition to.
- coldtea 6y ago
  Better ones, stress and hours wise, one would think
- Someone 6y ago
  Also, on how this compares to other industries. The report (https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/PDF-134/Accenture-A4-GWC-Report-Final1.pdf https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/PDF-134/Accenture-A4-GWC...) discusses neither. It also is a bit light in details, and has, IMO, some questionable methodology: “We asked women who had left tech roles - or were likely to leave such roles within two years - why. Respondents were presented with 13 options (including “Other” and “Don’t know”). We then grouped these options into four buckets:” “We created and defined the variables based on the survey data result.” Grouping questions after questionnaires were filled in (and, reading that second quote, taking the answers into account) opens the door for (possibly unconsciously) introducing bias.
jqpabc123 6y ago
I would be very surprised if the same didn't apply to tech jobs in general, regardless of gender. In my experience, the half life of a STEM career is about 10 years. After 10 years, half the graduates are no longer doing STEM. Another 10 years and the numbers are cut in half again. The problem in the USA is not a lack of graduates; it is the retention of graduates --- attrition, by choice or otherwise. I would like to see a survey on the percentage of citizen employees over the age of 40 in tech jobs versus other fields.
- Minor49er 6y ago
  Are there certain types of jobs or sectors that you've seen people going into once they are done with STEM? Or does it seem to be varied?
  - jqpabc123 6y ago
    Speaking from personal experience, probably one of the most common things I saw were people starting their own businesses. A friend quit engineering to build high end custom furniture and has done quite well at it. Another started a landscaping company. He makes more money working fewer hours than he ever did in engineering. He now has about 10 crews that do the actual work. He just handles problems, makes sure equipment is repaired/working and everyone gets paid on time. My opinion, the problem is a cultural thing with US business. Engineering is viewed as a cost to be controlled; sales is viewed as a profit center to be nurtured. The explanation I heard over and over again was, "No one gets paid until something gets sold". My response was, "Nothing gets sold until something gets built". One is just as valid as the other but lots of America companies spend as much or more on sales and marketing than engineering --- and the results usually speak for themselves.

3 points by MrXOR 6y ago

phendrenad2 6y ago

It would be interesting to see statistics on what jobs they transition to.

coldtea 6y ago
Better ones, stress and hours wise, one would think
Someone 6y ago
Also, on how this compares to other industries. The report (https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/PDF-134/Accenture-A4-GWC-Report-Final1.pdf https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/PDF-134/Accenture-A4-GWC...) discusses neither. It also is a bit light in details, and has, IMO, some questionable methodology: “We asked women who had left tech roles - or were likely to leave such roles within two years - why. Respondents were presented with 13 options (including “Other” and “Don’t know”). We then grouped these options into four buckets:” “We created and defined the variables based on the survey data result.” Grouping questions after questionnaires were filled in (and, reading that second quote, taking the answers into account) opens the door for (possibly unconsciously) introducing bias.

jqpabc123 6y ago

I would be very surprised if the same didn't apply to tech jobs in general, regardless of gender. In my experience, the half life of a STEM career is about 10 years. After 10 years, half the graduates are no longer doing STEM. Another 10 years and the numbers are cut in half again. The problem in the USA is not a lack of graduates; it is the retention of graduates --- attrition, by choice or otherwise. I would like to see a survey on the percentage of citizen employees over the age of 40 in tech jobs versus other fields.

Minor49er 6y ago
Are there certain types of jobs or sectors that you've seen people going into once they are done with STEM? Or does it seem to be varied?
- jqpabc123 6y ago
  Speaking from personal experience, probably one of the most common things I saw were people starting their own businesses. A friend quit engineering to build high end custom furniture and has done quite well at it. Another started a landscaping company. He makes more money working fewer hours than he ever did in engineering. He now has about 10 crews that do the actual work. He just handles problems, makes sure equipment is repaired/working and everyone gets paid on time. My opinion, the problem is a cultural thing with US business. Engineering is viewed as a cost to be controlled; sales is viewed as a profit center to be nurtured. The explanation I heard over and over again was, "No one gets paid until something gets sold". My response was, "Nothing gets sold until something gets built". One is just as valid as the other but lots of America companies spend as much or more on sales and marketing than engineering --- and the results usually speak for themselves.