Apple CEO Tim Cook wants to see more diversity in the tech industry, saying there is "no good excuse" for the continued lack of women in global tech companies.
Diversity is good for businesss
This is not an aberrant position. Cook makes what is becoming a widely accepted argument that diversity within a company makes it better. Decisions made and executed by diverse teams pay off better, as numerous surveys, like this one and this one, have found.
"I think the essence of technology and its effect on humanity depends on having women at the table," Cook told the BBC. that, you don't end up with good solutions."
Apple opens UK program for female developers
Cook's comments came as Apple introduced its App Store Foundation program in the UK for the first time. Designed to help train future developers, Apple is paying special attention to female developers in the first iteration of the program.
Representation is essential. A study by psychologist Penelope Lockwood found that women need to see female role models more than men need to see male role models. "Exceptional women can serve as inspiring examples of success," she said, "illustrating the kinds of achievement possible for the women around them. They show that it is possible to overcome traditional gender barriers, signaling to other women that high levels of achievement are in fact achievable.
A PWC report highlights the challenge. It states that 78% of students were unable to name a famous woman who works in the tech industry. And just a few years ago, only 3% of American educational materials focused on the contributions of women throughout history.
This lack of access to historical role models systematically prevents women from entering these industries.
Despite the mission, Apple still has work to do
Apple still has a long way to go before it can claim to have escaped the trap of the tech industry, where top executives are white and male. At Apple, only five of the 18 executives listed on the company's executive profile page are women, and only two of its 12 top executives are women.
To its credit, the company appears to be making serious efforts to make women more visible in tech. These include the push to appoint women to leadership positions, place female leadership in key positions, invest in coding education for children, and other attempts to encourage diversity.
When it comes to female representation in its workforce, Apple's US workforce is 35% female.
Deloitte estimates that large technology companies will reach 33% representation in the industry this year. In the UK, a PWC report states that only 23% of people working in STEM roles in the UK are women, with only 5% of technology leadership positions held by women.
change takes time
At the same time, Apple's attempts to give women visibility within its leadership force can help it achieve its long-term goal of making the industry feel like a space where women can aspire, contribute and have a role. success. Technology as a whole still suffers from being seen as a men's club, which needs to change to achieve the level of diversity needed for the industry to realize its full potential.
The perceived sexism of technology prevents women from joining the business. Women and girls do not study STEM subjects, which means the stable of qualified female talent is small. It's not because they can't: Women excel in STEM subjects and outperform their male counterparts in these subjects.
The Apple executive agrees that his company needs to do more. "Businesses can't get away with saying 'there aren't enough women studying IT, so I can't hire enough,'" Cook said, emphasizing the need to educate more people, women and girls for the industry.
educate tomorrow
Apple has been a strong supporter of coding education and believes that coding should be taught in every school to every student. The company offers Swift Playgrounds, coding training programs, and in-store coding training sessions to accomplish this, but this is a very long-term strategy.
In the short term, it's about building representation, and the hope is that providing powerful female role models will help nurture tomorrow's talent.
If this is something you care about, take note of the annual Ada Lovelace Day which will take place on October 11. The event aims to raise the profile of women in STEM topics.
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