New Skillsoft Study Reveals Learning and Development Disconnect Between Women in Tech and Employers
BOSTON , December 02 /Businesswire/ - Skillsoft (NYSE: SKIL), a global leader in corporate digital learning, today released new research exploring the current state of women in tech including the challenges and barriers to inclusion they face and how employers can better support them. Findings from Skillsoft’s 2021 Women in Tech Report reveal that while female employees have gained hard-fought ground in the workplace, a large gap still exists when it comes to opportunities for professional development and career advancement.
According to the report, there is a misalignment between the workplace benefits women in tech are seeking and what is currently being provided. For example, while 86 percent of respondents cited opportunities for professional development and training as extremely or very important to them, just 42 percent said their employers currently offer this as a benefit. Additionally, when asked about the top challenges they have faced while pursuing a tech-related career, nearly a third of women surveyed (32 percent) pointed to a lack of training.
The research indicates that women in tech want to learn, and when asked which tech-related areas they are most interested in, business analysis, cybersecurity, analytics, AI, and machine learning, and leadership and management topped their lists. With Skillsoft’s recent IT Skills and Salary Report finding that 76 percent of organizations currently face skills gaps in their IT departments, providing opportunities for training and professional development is a major benefit for employers and employees alike as it can help fill crucial shortages and skills gaps and put women on a path for career advancement.
“Organizations around the globe are looking for ways to address their skills gaps, and in many cases, the answer lies within via their existing workforce,” said Potoula Chresomales, SVP, Product Management, Skillsoft. “Women make up less than 40 percent of the global workforce, and for that number to increase, female employees must be empowered with continuous training, professional development, and career advancement, as well as equal pay. The time is now for organizations to tackle gender disparity head-on. By doing so, we can build more inclusive, equitable, and competitive businesses.”
Skillsoft’s 2021 Women in Tech Report highlights a few ways organizations can better empower female employees, including:
To learn more about how Skillsoft is supporting women whose careers have been adversely affected by COVID-19 through its partnership with Ellevate Network, visit here.
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Research Methodology
Skillsoft’s 2021 Women in Tech Survey was conducted online in mid-2021. The survey consisted of multiple-choice questions, open-ended responses, and value ranking and yielded 1,100 complete responses from women tech professionals in four countries: the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and France. The survey and report were sponsored by Microsoft and tabulated using the Qualtrics XM Platform.
About Skillsoft
Skillsoft (NYSE: SKIL) is a global leader in corporate digital learning, focused on transforming today’s workforce for tomorrow’s economy. The Company provides enterprise learning solutions designed to prepare organizations for the future of work, overcome critical skill gaps, drive demonstrable behavior-change, and unlock the potential in their people. Skillsoft offers a comprehensive suite of premium, original, and authorized partner content, including one of the broadest and deepest libraries of leadership & business skills, technology & developer, and compliance curricula. With access to a broad spectrum of learning options (including video, audio, books, bootcamps, live events, and practice labs), organizations can meaningfully increase learner engagement and retention. Skillsoft’s offerings are delivered through Percipio, its award-winning, AI-driven, immersive learning platform purpose built to make learning easier, more accessible, and more effective. Learn more at www.skillsoft.com.
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