Networking events help fight the gap between Swiss technologies

Traditional family patterns and lack of self-confidence are some of the barriers that hold back women in science and technology jobs in Switzerland. But networking events focused on women help open doors.

Switzerland is perhaps the undisputed world leader in the field of innovation, but when it comes to maximizing female talent in the fields of science and technology, it is important to There is no debate, the country is missing.

Tech recruiters and tech-savvy jobseekers recently gathered at a collaborating office in central Zurich for a series of TechSpace's professional "flash meetings". Wide open windows, mint and yellow color scheme and WeSpace's light wood shelvesexternal link contributed to the relaxed atmosphere of the networking evening.

Several women presented themselves with a laser focus, clearly indicating the company they wanted to target and the kind of roles they wanted. Others just came to take the temperature. Representatives of technology companies Digitec, Accenture and Swisscom devoted 8 minutes of their exclusive attention to dedicated job seekers and got to know each other around a drink.

"We are struggling to recruit a sufficient number of talented women because there are not as many candidates among the candidates," says Jelena Pejic, talent acquisition specialist working for Swisscom, which provides telecommunication services in Switzerland and Switzerland. Italy.

Computer imbalance

On average, of the ten applications received by the company, only one of them will have been sent by a candidate, she noted. The challenge is more acute for information technology than for business roles. In Switzerland, only 11% of computer scientists and IT badysts were women in 2016, according to DigitalSwitzerlandexternal link.

Global demand for digital skills is rising. By 2026, the Alpine country is expected to lack 40,000 professionals. Priska Burkard co-founded Techfaceexternal link with the aim of filling this talent gap by highlighting career opportunities and accompanying women so that they have the necessary skills and confidence.

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The coaching sessions reveal that women are often afraid of being accepted and may feel too old or inexperienced to find a job in the technology sector.

"Sometimes I even hear that they have applied for an internship instead of a job although they have many years of experience," notes Burkard. "That's also why we started organizing talent matching events because it's a way to dispel fear by giving them the opportunity to speak directly to companies and recruiters without feeling the pain. pressure from "I'm in good interview now". "

This strategy seems to work. Swisscom said that they followed most of the candidates met that evening. In order to promote diversity, the company already offers part time and variable hours, a privilege more commonly used by women than by men.

Social factors

Men, everyone seems to agree, are more likely to apply for a job even if they do not have the necessary qualifications. Swiss men traditionally had the army to establish professional ties, while Swiss women lacked an equivalent. The social structures in place still encourage Swiss women to stay at home after childbirth. World Economic Forumexternal link& # 39; S Global Report 2010 on the gender gap in the world, Switzerland ranks 34th in terms of participation and economic opportunities, and the 20th overall.

Laura Seifert, co-founder and financial director of WeSpace, knows what it means to be the pair of heels in a sea of ​​costumes. She holds a Ph.D. in corporate finance and worked for JP Morgan. By providing a women-only workspace that also hosts events, she hopes to play a role in narrowing the gender gap.

"Society is still very stereotyped," she said. "The tax system and the social security system offer a very short period to return to work after childbirth. Most women simply do not come back because the company expects them to stay at home. This is not disputed enough. Things like paternity leave do not exist here. Too many women stay at home and fall back into these old roles. "

Problem of the technology industry?

Monica Baumhofer, an Bern-based American, points out that Silicon Valley also has a horrendous record of gender balance, so the problem could be in the broader technology sector.

"Here, it's not so much the kind of schoolboys, but I think there are profound cultural expectations for women in Switzerland, who are not technology-bound, but only women," she says. she. "I notice a lot of casual comments with clichés of what men and women should be doing."

But she is encouraged by her commitment to enhancing diversity and the wide range of networking opportunities offered by Switzerland.

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