The Naked CIO: Unequal opportunities

From the outside, IT looks like an occupation for white males. From the inside, we know that to be true. But what can we do about it? The Naked CIO offers some ideas.

Sometimes it seems IT is the golf of the business world. It is inherently a white and male pursuit. That troubles me greatly.

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Of course, it is not exclusively so. There are many fine examples of women and minorities who have risen to the highest IT roles in the UK's most respected organisations.

Yet IT departments are not inclusive. It takes more for women and those from minority backgrounds to make it in our field.

So, are we simply guilty of running a boys' club? Or could it be that our industry does not appeal to women and minorities in the way other areas of specialisation do? Do we as leaders do enough to bridge these gaps, or are we content with the way it is?

A few years ago the British Computer Society introduced an award for the woman IT leader of the year. At the time I thought the concept insulting and narrow. But now I am equally convinced that we need to raise the profile of the benefits of an IT career for women.

The barriers to women have nothing to do with their talents. Even though some of my best performing and talented employees have been women, they still make up only a fraction of my workforce. When I look at job applications as they come across my desk there are very few from women.

I have been considering initiating a graduate training programme to give opportunities to young women who want a head start in IT in a leading organisation.

Yet I fear that this in itself would be discriminatory. I might be reducing opportunities for all by restricting qualification for sought-after positions.

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On top of that, the nagging doubt remains that it is the industry itself that for some reason still appears rather unappealing to woman.

My training programme won't fix that. What do we need to do to encourage talented women and minorities to excel and develop in IT specialised careers?

The solution probably consists of several elements. First, universities and colleges need to achieve a more balanced enrolment of women and minorities on their courses.

Industry organisations need to do more to promote IT careers as worthwhile for everyone and specifically target women and minorities as part of a drive to attract more young people from all walks of life.

CIOs should also try, without reverse discrimination, to encourage a more balanced workforce in all aspects of their operations.

Talent is never restricted to a particular race or gender. Everyone can play a role and be part of the success of the organisation.

If anyone reading this thinks our industry is inherently discriminatory, then please raise your hand and post a comment - because if this is the case we need to change it, and soon.