Women have played an important role in computer science since its very beginning, yet for decades the IT industry was dominated by men. Today, the situation is gradually changing – more women are choosing computer science studies and careers in technology, although they still face various barriers. On the one hand, issues such as discrimination, the gender pay gap, the glass ceiling (limited promotion opportunities), and the glass cliff (women being appointed to high-risk leadership positions) are often discussed. On the other hand, there are more and more initiatives supporting women in IT, and women themselves are increasingly seizing the opportunities available to them. Below, we examine both the challenges and the opportunities facing women in the Polish IT sector, set against the backdrop of history and global trends.
From Ada Lovelace to the “human computers” – a short history of women in IT
Portrait of Ada Lovelace – considered the world’s first programmer.
The history of computing includes many outstanding women who laid the foundations for the field. As early as the 19th century, Ada Lovelace described an algorithm for Charles Babbage’s analytical engine – regarded as the first computer program. Few people realize that in the early days of computing, programming tasks were often carried out by women. Before electronic computers appeared, the word “computer” referred to a person who performed calculations – in the 20th century, this was most often a woman. During and after World War II, teams of female programmers were responsible for coding the first electronic machines. For example, the first electronic computer, ENIAC (1945), was built by men but programmed by seven women – including Kay McNulty, Betty Jennings, and Marlyn Wescoff. Other pioneers such as Grace Hopper also played a crucial role – she co-created the first compiler and the COBOL language, paving the way for future generations of women programmers.
This rich history shows that women have always had the talent and passion for computer science. Unfortunately, for a long time their contributions were marginalized, and women themselves were gradually pushed to the margins of the growing computer industry in the second half of the 20th century. This gave rise to the stereotype of the “IT specialist as a man”, which persists to this day. However, much is now being done to restore the memory of these forgotten heroines and to encourage new generations of girls to pursue technology – often by drawing inspiration from the achievements of Ada Lovelace or the ENIAC programmers as iconic role models.
More and more women are choosing computer science – statistics in Poland and worldwide
Although women remain a minority in IT, data shows a steady increase in their numbers both in education and in technology professions. In Poland, women currently make up around 58% of all students in higher education (across all fields), but their share in computer science is much lower. According to the latest report by the Perspektywy Educational Foundation, the proportion of women in IT-related fields at public technical universities rose from 14.8% to 15.8% between 2019 and 2023. Even more recent 2024 data indicates about 17% of women among computer science students – still a small share, but it is worth noting that the number of female IT students has increased by as much as 35% in recent years. In other words, the number of women in computer science in Poland is growing faster than the number of men, though equal proportions are still far off.
In the job market, statistics also reveal a large imbalance. In 2021, only 15.5% of IT specialists in Poland were women, placing the country near the bottom of the European Union (where the average is 19.1%). By contrast, in Bulgaria – a country with a similarly significant IT sector – almost every third IT worker is a woman. Likewise, in some other countries of the former Eastern Bloc, the proportion of women in IT is higher than in Poland, often explained by historical traditions of educating women in technical fields. Globally, women account for around 20–25% of the tech workforce, but their share typically decreases with career progression (the higher the position, the fewer women). Still, a positive sign is the growing number of women starting IT careers – both graduates of relevant degree programs and participants in coding courses or bootcamps. In recent years, a clear trend has emerged of women retraining into IT, supported by numerous initiatives that encourage such a career change.
Discrimination and stereotypes – is IT a “man’s world”?
The most common discouraging remarks heard by women in IT – stereotypes that technology is a “male” field still persist.
Despite women’s growing presence in the tech sector, discrimination and negative stereotypes remain. Many women working in IT report that they must prove their competence more than their male colleagues. Studies show that nearly three times as many women as men believe that it is harder for women to enter the IT industry – due to prejudice and less confidence from others in their abilities. Their skills are also more often** questioned or underestimated** by colleagues.
Stereotypes about women’s unsuitability for technical roles are still widespread. For example, many young girls interested in programming hear discouraging comments such as: “This isn’t a job for women, it’s a man’s world” or “You won’t manage, it’s too hard for you.” While most women in IT say they have not experienced overt discrimination, such subtle remarks or biases can undermine confidence. As a result, women are more likely to struggle with imposter syndrome – the feeling of not being good enough despite objective success. In male-dominated teams, women may also feel excluded from informal networks or have fewer allies in the workplace.
It is worth noting that in many respects, IT is often described as a woman-friendly industry – measurable skills tend to matter, and recruitment is less dependent on personal connections than in traditional sectors. Nevertheless, subtle forms of discrimination (e.g., stereotypical role expectations, offhand jokes, or being overlooked for technical tasks) still occur. This makes it especially important to educate both employers and employees about biases, and to promote diversity in teams, which benefits workplace culture for everyone.
The gender pay gap in IT – women’s vs. men’s salaries
One of the main measures of equality in the labor market is pay. While IT is known for relatively transparent pay structures based on skills and experience, there is still a gender pay gap. According to the SoDA 2024 report, Polish tech companies continue to show significant disparities – men earn on average about 1,000–1,300 PLN more than women in equivalent roles. An analysis of six common IT roles (from developers to analysts and project managers) found that in 80–85% of cases women earn less than men doing the same job. Only in 4 out of 18 comparisons of roles and experience levels did women earn more – mainly at entry-level junior positions. Strikingly, only one in five women in IT receives a salary equal to or higher than their male colleagues in the same role.
What explains these disparities? Partly occupational segregation – women are more often found in less technical roles (such as UX/UI design, project management, or business analysis), which tend to be lower paid. Men, in contrast, dominate in the best-paid specializations (such as system architecture, DevOps, or high-level programming). However, even within the same positions, differences persist, suggesting unconscious pay bias. Women also negotiate raises and promotions less often – they themselves admit that men are more likely to push for better conditions. Career breaks related to, for example, maternity can also slow down salary growth.
An intriguing (and worrying) question is whether the feminization of a profession leads to falling wages. U.S. labor market studies from 1950–2000 showed that when the share of women in a given occupation rose significantly, average pay in that profession tended to drop – even after controlling for education and experience. For example, when women entered the field of graphic design en masse, salaries in that group began to decline. According to sociologist Prof. Paula England, the reason lies in the lower valuation of work performed by women – employers (consciously or unconsciously) place less value on female-dominated occupations. This raises the concern of whether IT could face a similar fate if women’s share increases significantly. Awareness of this risk is important – fortunately, growing pay transparency in IT and stronger emphasis on equality may help counteract this mechanism. Above all, it is crucial to ensure that more women in technology does not mean devaluation of their work, but rather the breaking of the vicious cycle of underpayment.
The Glass Ceiling – the Invisible Barrier to Advancement
Another challenge faced by women in IT (and beyond) is the so-called glass ceiling. This metaphor refers to invisible barriers that make it difficult for women to advance to top leadership positions, despite their skills and experience. For years, many companies held the belief that women “simply opt out” of pursuing senior roles, but research and lived experiences reveal the presence of systemic obstacles. Historically, women could only watch as their male colleagues advanced into roles they themselves deserved – this phenomenon came to be called the glass ceiling.
In practice, this manifests itself in women being promoted less frequently to roles such as CTO, solutions architect, or head of IT. When women do occupy leadership positions, they are often in support areas (such as HR or marketing in a tech company) rather than in core engineering teams. Statistics show that the proportion of women drops sharply at management levels – in Poland, women in top leadership roles in the tech industry remain rare. The causes of the glass ceiling are complex: stereotypes (e.g. the belief that a woman “can’t handle” a technical leadership role), the lack of female mentors and role models, and exclusion from informal “old boys’ networks.” Sometimes women themselves, discouraged by earlier experiences, are less willing to apply for senior positions – creating a vicious cycle.
Breaking the glass ceiling requires deliberate company action: programs to identify female leadership talent, promotion policies based on objective criteria, and the promotion of diversity in executive teams. Many global tech corporations set targets for increasing women’s share in managerial roles and report on their progress. In Poland, initiatives such as “Strong Women in IT” present profiles of women tech leaders, inspiring both employers and young female specialists. There are also examples of companies where women have successfully climbed to the top (e.g. female CEOs of IT firms, directors of R&D centers) – their successes show that the glass ceiling can indeed be shattered.
The Glass Cliff – Risky Opportunities at the Top
When a woman does manage to break through the glass ceiling, she may encounter another phenomenon: the glass cliff. This term describes situations where women are appointed to top leadership positions during times of crisis or heightened risk of failure – meaning their path to the top runs along a metaphorical fragile cliff edge. The concept of the glass cliff was introduced by psychologist Michelle Ryan of the University of Exeter. Her research found that when an organization is in difficulty (e.g. facing poor results or scandal), the likelihood of appointing a woman as leader significantly increases. In contrast, when a company is thriving and “victory is almost guaranteed”, male candidates are preferred. In other words, women are more often given the chance to advance only when the role is already burdened with high risk of failure.
Research confirms the reality of this phenomenon. An analysis of the world’s 2,500 largest companies revealed that over a 10-year period, 38% of female CEOs were dismissed, compared to nearly 10 percentage points fewer male CEOs. Many of these women had been promoted during difficult times – companies on the brink were more likely to opt for a “fresh start” with a female leader, but when things did not improve, the woman was more quickly removed from the position (hence the image of falling off a cliff). Moreover, women at the top are usually judged more harshly – researchers observed that female leaders are criticized far more severely for mistakes than their male counterparts, and less leniency makes it harder for them to remain in senior roles.
The glass cliff is particularly insidious because at first glance it looks like an opportunity – a woman finally becomes CEO or department head. But if the circumstances are unfavorable, success may be short-lived, and failure attributed to “the woman at the helm” only reinforces stereotypes. How can the glass cliff be prevented? Experts suggest that women should not be appointed “only to be sacrificed” – instead, companies should aim for systematic increases in women’s participation at various levels of management, so that a woman’s appointment to lead is not limited to moments of crisis. It is also crucial to provide newly promoted female leaders with real organizational support, rather than expecting miracles in hopeless conditions.
Support and Programs for Women in IT – Opportunities for Success
Despite these challenges, the situation of women in IT is far from bleak – the industry is responding dynamically to the need for greater diversity, and many organizations actively support women at different stages of their careers. In Poland, initiatives have been running for more than a decade to encourage girls to choose technical studies and help them start their careers. One example is the “Girls to Technical Universities!” campaign organized by the Perspektywy Educational Foundation – launched back in 2006, it has reached thousands of high school graduates and promotes engineering fields among women. It is complemented by the “Girls to STEM!” campaign, aimed at future science students. Together with business partners, Perspektywy has also launched the “New Technologies for Girls” scholarship program, which provides female computer science students with mentoring and financial support (the program even has a special edition for students from Ukraine).
In the professional environment, a number of women’s communities and mentoring programs have emerged. Notable initiatives include Women in Technology Poland, the Diversity Hub network, Girls in IT/IT Girls, and the mentoring program Dare IT, which connects beginners with experienced mentors. Events and workshops under brands such as Geek Girls Carrots (a Polish community startup that has gone global) and the Perspektywy Women in Tech Summit, which attracts thousands of participants from Poland and abroad each year, are also very popular. Tech companies are increasingly eager to support these initiatives – through sponsorship, funding scholarships, or running dedicated internship programs for women (e.g. hackathons exclusively for women, coding competitions for high school girls, etc.).
It is worth noting that in recent years the IT sector itself has faced a shortage of talent, regardless of gender – the workforce deficit has made employers more open to new candidate groups. More and more companies are adopting Equal Pay policies (equal pay for equal work) and diversity & inclusion strategies, recognizing that diverse teams are more creative and innovative. As a result, women in IT today have far better career prospects than previous generations. There are real opportunities to build successful careers, as confirmed by numerous examples of women tech leaders in Poland and around the world.
So, Is It Easy for Women in IT Now? – A Summary
From the analysis above, it is clear that “women in IT” is a complex issue, marked by both challenges and positive changes. On the one hand, inequalities persist – from numerical disparities to stereotypes, pay gaps, and barriers to advancement. Women still make up a minority in programming teams, are less likely to be architects or CTOs, and earn less than men in equivalent positions. Many experience these inequalities daily – whether by hearing that “this isn’t for them” or seeing that their career path demands greater effort.
On the other hand, the situation is gradually improving. Awareness of the problems is increasing, and corrective measures are being taken. Women now have access to various support programs, scholarships, and industry initiatives that barely existed a decade ago. Each year, more women IT specialists break through and achieve success, inspiring the next generation. This is already visible at the education stage – more and more high school graduates are choosing technical universities, and women perform very well in STEM studies. In Poland, women already account for more than half of all university students, and although in computer science their share is only approaching one-fifth, the growth trend is strong. It is reasonable to expect that in the coming years, women will make their presence in IT much more firmly felt.
In conclusion, the picture is not as grim as it might seem. Women in IT face many obstacles, but also many doors are open to them. The tech industry is one of the fastest-changing sectors – including in terms of organizational culture. The key lies in continuing to promote equality and diversity: fighting stereotypes from an early age, encouraging girls to study STEM, and ensuring equal treatment in recruitment and promotion. Women in IT are no longer an exception, but an increasingly common reality – and rightly so, because mixed teams create better products and services for all of us. If today’s positive initiatives continue and awareness of the challenges remains high, the future for women in IT looks ever brighter. We can hope that future generations of specialists will be able to say that the IT industry is simply a good career choice for everyone – regardless of gender.