The discussion about gender diversity in the tech sector was strongly presented in 2023 and the topic continues to be hot in 2024. One intriguing fact is that, despite progress made in 2020, there is still a significant gender gap in the GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft) workforce and on average only 31% of GAFAM employees are women.
According to Deloitte's 2022 report, women’s share in the overall global tech workforce increased by 6.9% between 2019 and 2022, with an 11.7% growth in technical roles. It might appear insignificant, but it's a positive step forward.
This progress becomes even more encouraging when we look at specific countries like Bulgaria. The country has the highest percentage of women employed in information and communication technologies (ICT) among all EU member states. In 2022, women held almost 29% of all positions in ICT, representing the highest male-to-female ratio in Europe, surpassing the union-wide average of 19%. This achievement can be attributed to several factors, including:
- A strong foundation in STEM: Bulgaria's education system actively encourages students and young people to study computer science, creating the groundwork for future careers in the industry. According to the Ministry of Education and Science, approximately 505 466 students studied computer modelling, computer modelling and information technology, information technology and informatics in 2022/2023.
Furthermore, according to the European Parliament’s statistics published in February 2024, Bulgaria ranks third in the Union in the share of women scientists and engineers. With the impressive 50.9% of the science workers being women, the country made it into the positive ranking of the European Parliament. This means that there are more female scientists in Bulgaria than male. - A supportive network for women in tech: Organizations like the Bulgarian Centre for Women in Technology (BCWT), Coding Girls and Women in Tech Bulgaria play a vital role in empowering ladies in the tech sector. They provide invaluable resources, mentoring programs and workshops, as well as networking opportunities and an encouraging and supportive environment where women can thrive.
- A competitive landscape within the Bulgarian IT sector: Bulgaria's developers are well-versed in popular programming languages like C#, JavaScript, Java, Python, SQL, and PHP, as well as mobile, cloud and other technologies. The sector offers attractive salaries, equal working conditions and promising career opportunities, making it an appealing choice for both men and women. This equality removes traditional barriers and encourages diverse talent to enter the field.
We really want to see more women joining our team. If you find an opportunity that interests you, apply here.