Companies are increasingly targeting women from MINT disciplines. We spoke to three young IT professionals – about prejudices, compatibility and role models.
Computer nerd, the: Once derogatory term for a socially isolated, pale, unworldly computer freak. Since US series like “The Big Bang Theory”, the N. has sometimes been considered cool. Female form: none.
It's a paradox: IT experts are in greater demand than ever before. They are wooed and flattered, charmed and wooed. In the digitalized world, the demand for software engineers, computer scientists and IT consultants is increasing in all industries. Companies advertise good salaries and promising job prospects.
However, women in technical professions are still exotic: the number of women who can imagine a career in the IT environment has stagnated for years. The industry association Bitkom assumes that currently only around 15 percent of all IT positions are occupied by female employees. The proportion of women in computer science courses is 23 percent.
Women's support programs and career fairs have been trying for years to convince young women of a career in the technical field with creative word games such as "Come, do MINT", "CyberMentor", "Girls Day" or "herCAREER". The range of supporters is wide: from individual federal states, universities to ver.di and companies. The message: We are waiting for you!
UNIGLOBALE spoke to women who have pursued a technical career. What attracted you to your professional field? What experiences have you had so far in the male-dominated world? What tips can you pass on to other young women?
Sarah Brumhard , computer science student at Munich University of Applied Sciences, dual combined course with training as an IT specialist in application development at Rohde & Schwarz
»Many vacancies were advertised on the job platform. However, especially for computer scientists and electrical engineers. My first thought: Me and computers? No! Computer science was never on my radar at school. I even opted out of the subject.
But suddenly I remembered that some time ago I and a friend set up a homepage for a club. I provided him with the ideas and looked over his shoulders as he created the website. In hindsight I thought to myself: It was actually interesting.
So I jumped into the deep end and applied to the Munich electronics company Rohde & Schwarz - with success. Of the eight IT trainees, we were only two girls. And the proportion of men in the company is also high. This is due to the company's strong technical focus.
I think it's great to work with so many men. In my experience, men are often funnier, don't get upset easily, and often act quicker than have long discussions. Men often just make a joke. I grew up with two brothers and I'm used to it.
I study computer science at Munich University of Applied Sciences. I'm one of the few women there too. When my professor says 'Good morning, gentlemen' during the lecture, I don't react sensitively. I see this as a shortcut. I feel accepted as a person, there is no need to emphasize the genders.
I like the dual study program. Most of the time it is the case that I have already gained practical experience on topics in the company before I learn it theoretically at university. For example, I have already written a small program for Rohde & Schwarz that can read and display data, a database program so to speak. I learned and deepened the theoretical basis for this at university.
In any case, I rate my chances on the job market as very good. As a dual student, I already have work experience, and in a popular field.
I believe that there will never be fifty-fifty women in technical professions. That's not bad either. There are differences between men and women: men like technical things more than women. But women are not inherently unsuitable for this. That's why I want to encourage more women to question themselves whether they really know that technology doesn't suit them or whether they just think it is.
My tip to others: Don't categorically exclude the technical area! It's different than you think. The idea of the computer scientist with nerd glasses sitting at home in the basement and hacking is long gone. The need for computer scientists is so great that there are and will be fewer and fewer nerds in percentage terms.«
Dr. Margrit Klitz , research assistant at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in simulation and software technology in the area of high performance computing
»I have been interested in mathematics and technical topics since high school. I found the proofs in mathematics simply fascinating. And in the advanced physics course we covered exciting topics such as relativity theory and quantum mechanics. I was excited about that. I wrote my first small computer program in elementary school.
The fact that I actually studied mathematics always surprises me. In principle, I was looking for a challenge when I chose my course of study - and I have never regretted this decision.
Because this path led me to an exciting working environment: Today I work at DLR as a research assistant in the High Performance Computing (HPC) department of simulation and software technology. Here I mainly deal with topics related to fluid mechanics.
For example, a flow solver is being developed at DLR to help design the aircraft of tomorrow. I'm working on a tool that takes care of parallel data management for this solver. When programming parallel algorithms you have to think a bit outside the box. That particularly appeals to me. In another project, a free-flying helicopter is to be simulated. And if possible, in real time, so that the software can also be used in flight simulators at some point. There are many exciting mathematical questions within this project, but at the same time I can also learn a lot about sustainable software development. This combination is great.
As a mother of three children, when choosing my employer, I also made sure that not only the topic of research but also the compatibility of work and family was given priority. I really did very well at DLR.
What would I wish for? That more women choose a career in technology and research. Because why not? This development may not happen as quickly as many would hope. But DLR is showing that it can be done: with Professor Pascale Ehrenfreund as CEO, we have a woman as boss.«
Daniela Pöhler , trainee at Continental, systems engineer for cameras
»Even in elementary school, I wanted to become an inventor and develop balloons that fly against the direction of the wind. I recently found a wish list from my kindergarten days: I scribbled a square little man on it - above it, in my mother's handwriting, it says: Robot.
I later studied electrical engineering at the University of Aachen. The proportion of women was very small at around ten percent. Because the university was large, there were still enough women in my course with whom I became friends. Of course, none of them asked me why, as a woman, I was interested in electrical engineering.
Soon I went to Florence for an Erasmus semester. There I was a walking cliché: the German who studies engineering, oha! As a woman with technical ambitions, I have always received a good response in Italy. And this despite the fact that Berlusconi was still at the head of the government at the time with his misogynistic statements.
I am ambivalent about technical women's courses: Even if it may be helpful for some women to only learn with other women for the first time, they of course lead to a certain separation. For me, attending an all-women's degree program would not have been an option. Later you end up working with men too.
I learned a lot during my studies - setting up formulas and solving equations. You still need some training time in the job. The traineeship at Continental is a great opportunity to get to know different areas. At the moment, as a systems engineer for cameras, I am responsible for driving assistance systems in cars. This is exciting and challenging because we have to constantly keep an eye on the entire system with all its components, such as hardware and software.
All I can give other women is this tip: Don't let men put you down! At university, you don't always have to be the one working on the flipchart in group work. Free yourself from these role clichés. You can also be the ones programming and soldering!”
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