Factors Influencing Young Women to Enroll in IT

Abstract

Despite the increasing number of initiatives that aim to promote Information Technology (IT) and encourage women to pursue IT degrees, the number of women in the field is still low. To better understand women’s motivations, we conducted a qualitative study with women enrolled in IT degrees at the Technical University of Munich. We found that a variety of factors affect decisions to enroll in the degrees, related to both individual and environmental factors. Some initiatives, such as IT courses, help to create awareness of IT, which is a first step in women considering the field. Financial aspects of the job and the perception of the possibility of a work-life balance play an important role in decision-making. Family and friends played an influential role, especially when they are in a STEM field, while teachers’ influence depended on how supportive they were. Furthermore, women also attributed personal characteristics, such as resilience, to their enrollment in IT.