Like many other new technology specializations, female representation among blockchain developers and company leaders is low – despite women making up more than 50% of our country’s workforce. CBAW believes that technologies require a diversity of perspectives to succeed, and that education and awareness are the key to gaining new voices and ideas to contribute to our continuing digital evolution.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W8LP3iUzeE
Why does Canada’s blockchain industry need an organization to promote diversity and inclusion?
Not only will a more diverse industry benefit our technological development, but it has major implications for the overall economy. A 2017 study by the McKinsey Global Institute suggested that parity in women’s employment issues could add an astonishing $150 billion to our GDP by just 2026. Technology careers are one of the most promising employment growth markets – and shortfalls in specialized workers are making Canada less competitive and innovative globally.
”Advancing women’s equality in Canada has the potential to add $150 billion in incremental GDP in 2026, or a 0.6 percent increase to annual GDP growth.
MCKINSEY GLOBAL INSTITUTE: THE POWER OF PARITY (2017)
Growth in tech employment
While rapid growth in tech employment is widely expected, female participation in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) careers has lagged at about 25%, leaving a shortfall in skilled workers and creating a disadvantage for women as more high-paying careers require digital, data and computer skills. Blockchain technologies, like other areas of data science, are predicted to be a strong employment market over the next decades – yet female representation is even lower than in the broader ICT category.
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Women in the Tech Workplace
Brookfield Institute: Digital Literacy in a Digital Age (2017)
According to a 2018 Longhash.com survey of 100 emerging American blockchain companies, women were less than 15% of company staff members, and held only 7.1% of leadership positions. This disproportionate participation can be attributed to a variety of factors, but regardless, improving diversity is both possible and necessary. At CBAW, we’re committed to taking action to help advance the progress of women and other underrepresented groups in the blockchain industry through our projects, partnerships and educational programs.
