More information
Description
The “Women in IT” study (Geek Girls Carrots, 2018) has shown that 85% of women who work in the IT industry have experienced unequal treatment based on gender; 53% of women in IT believe that it is more difficult for a woman than for a man to succeed in the new technologies business; 61% got lower remuneration than men in the same position; and in 28% of cases their job applications were rejected for gender-based reasons. Therefore, we have planned to build an online platform to support career transitions into the IT industry, targeted at women as a group excluded because of stereotypes and partially because of the education model, and in particular targeted at young mothers who return to the labor market.
Our comprehensive, one-stop solution will provide women with the option to work flexibly on the development of their skills and to build an on-line group/ network without any need to leave home. The project also strives to encourage women to embark on an IT career.
The project is implemented in partnership with the Norwegian SHE Community AS which will be responsible for designing the beta version of Dare IT platform, its final version and the performance of pilot activities. SHE Community will also help design the network construction process in order to attract platform partners and users, and will provide mentoring to the project leader.
Summary of project results
The project mainly aimed to address the challenges surrounding the underrepresentation of women in the IT industry, with a specific focus on the unique hurdles faced by young mothers returning to the labor market after maternity leave. The low representation of women not only perpetuates gender disparities but also limits the industry''s potential for innovation and growth. Ultimately, the goal is to contribute to the overall increase in the representation of women in the ICT sector and promote gender diversity. While simultaneously providing a solution to the shortage of skilled workers in the IT industry by increasing the pool of qualified specialists.
The project aimed to address the challenges faced by individuals, particularly women, seeking to transition into the IT industry by developing and implementing the DareIT platform. The project encompassed various activities and outputs to achieve its objectives.
Creation of Career Transition Module: The project initiated by preparing step-by-step guides for the career paths of Design, Frontend Development and QA. These guides provide the user with the necessary technical skills, as well as practical information about the recruitment process, and insights into the IT industry, for the given career path. Additionally, a specialized online psychological intervention module was developed. This module specifically targeted increasing self-efficacy, with a focus on the unique needs of women returning to the labor market after maternity leave and planning to shift their career path to IT.
Development of Dare IT Platform Beta Version: The project involved the development of the DareIT platform, which provides the infrastructure for users to access the guides and self-efficacy module. The platform also featured elements such as job offers, contacts to IT companies and recruiters. Notably, the platform was designed with a no-code/low-code approach, streamlining the development process.
Building Partnerships and Stakeholder Networks: This activity involved promoting the DareIT platform to users (i.e. people wanting to change career to IT) and partner companies (i.e. IT companies looking to hire IT talent). A community was fostered around the platform, facilitating networking opportunities. Partner companies were encouraged to join, with the intention of not only supporting the platform but also providing potential job opportunities for DareIT members.
In summary, the activities undertaken, from guide creation to platform development and community building, resulted in a digital solution, the DareIT platform, addressing the specific needs of individuals transitioning into the IT industry, especially women and women returning to the workforce after maternity leave.
The project has achieved significant and tangible results, demonstrating its effectiveness in addressing the challenges faced by women seeking to enter the IT industry and IT companies looking to hire junior talent. The outcomes and impacts of the project are as follows:
Increased Job Placement Success:
Research conducted in collaboration with Stanford University (outside the project scope) revealed that DareIT users who completed the step-by-step guides were 45% more likely to secure a job in IT compared to individuals attempting to enter the IT workforce without the guidance provided by the platform. This demonstrates the tangible impact of the project in enhancing job placement success for its users.
User Satisfaction and Adoption:
A total of 3000 users (i.e. people looking to change career to IT – the project’s main beneficiaries) engaged with the beta version of the platform, expressing a high level of satisfaction with an average rating of 8.5/10. This positive feedback underscores the value that users find in the DareIT platform, indicating that it effectively addresses their needs and provides a unique approach to solving career transition challenges.
Scientifically Proven Psychological Intervention:
Collaboration with the R&D unit at SWPS University resulted in an online psychological intervention module scientifically proven to increase participants'' self-efficacy beliefs. This represents a pioneering intervention on the Polish and Western European markets, contributing to the psychological well-being and confidence of platform users.
B2B Success:
On the B2B side, 15 corporate customers utilized the Talent Pool, and 11 posted job listings on the platform, highlighting the platform''s dual success in catering to both individual career changers and the hiring needs of IT companies.
In summary, the project has not only met its objectives but has also demonstrated a positive impact on the career trajectories of individuals and the recruitment strategies of IT companies, ultimately contributing to the broader goal of increasing diversity and inclusivity within the IT industry.
Summary of bilateral results
Through the funding we were able to cooperate with our Norwegian partner, SHE Community. As part of the project, SHE Community shared their in-depth, long-standing knowledge and experience on community building, commercialising such kind of activities and integrating them into an IT product. The knowledge and advice shared was integrated into the platform, as well as marketing activities, delivered under the grant. Cooperation with the Norwegian partner (SHE Community) resulted in improved functionalities for the beta platform. It has also facilitated and accelerated the building of our network - both in terms of (beta) users as well as gaining corporate partners. We would not have been able to access the expertise and knowledge of this top-notch partner solely at our own expense. For now there are no plans to continue the cooperation as the knowledge-transfer has been completed.