With today marking International Women’s Day, the day provides a much-needed opportunity to put the spotlight on women in Australia’s technology workforce, and a particular focus on a career in DevOps. 

In June last year, LinkedIn listed a DevOps Engineer as the 10th most demanded job overall, and a recent jobs report found roles in the information and communication technology sector (ICT) was one of the highest paying in the industry.  

The demand for DevOps experts across various roles, not just engineering, is growing exponentially. With platforms and applications emerging and evolving at record speeds, these roles can see women achieve huge success here and abroad.

The tech industry will grow faster than any other industry in the coming years as more automation is developed. Career opportunities, both technical and non-technical are continuing to grow across Financial Services, Retail and Education, with COVID-19 only accelerating this. But sadly, only 29 percent of women make up Australia’s technology workforce, according to recent Australian Computer Society figures.

Australia is losing female talent at every stage of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) journey. Research has also shown that girls opt out of STEM at six years of age, mainly in part due to a lack of visible female role models and a lack of understanding of what STEM professionals do.

In the past, the IT sector has had a long-standing stigma associated with working in the industry but fast forward to 2022, and with innovation opportunities at the forefront now, there is great scope to build awareness amongst women about the career paths now available. 

In response to this, PagerDuty APJ launched regional programs focusing on women in tech. This began with the local chapter of Women in Technology, which forms part of the broader PagerDuty program, SisterDuty. In addition, the company offers mentorship meet-ups where once a quarter, mentors are paired with junior mentees to share knowledge and advice. 

From an external perspective, the company entered into a partnership with Tech Girls Movement Foundation – an organization focused on supporting young girls in STEM and providing mentors and judges in the annual Next Tech Girl Superhero competition. 

Opportunities are not limited as a female; in fact, I believe they only increase. Women leaders bring a different style of management to an organization that I find teams respond well to with a focus on culture, empathy and success. 

To inspire women to consider a career in tech and DevOps, I have three pieces of advice:

1. Take your time to explore the right path. The tech industry presents incredible opportunities for women. Take the time to explore and find a path that will fulfill and inspire.
2. Research your options. The homegrown Australian technology sector is booming with so many exciting start-ups. Do your research and explore options. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Once you are in the industry, the possibilities are endless.
3. Let your voice be heard. Bring a diversified perspective to the industry that will be incredibly welcomed. Don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo and bring fresh ideas and thinking.