With the pace of change in the technology sector, women must push for ongoing learning and development opportunities, urges tech leader Gillian Whelan, who believes women can sometimes be less vocal when asking for support that goes beyond the day-to-day or expecting investment in themselves as employees.

Whelan, who is Managing Director and Country Manager at international IT and business consultancy emagine's operation in Ireland, says ongoing learning and personal development are essential to progress in the tech sector and that women need to push out of their comfort zones to move up the career ladder.

Whelan says: "Every career benefits from structured development programmes, but not all employers offer this without pressure from their employees. The technology sector moves at a faster pace than many others, which means that keeping ahead is crucial for progression. In my experience, women can sometimes be less pushy when it comes to asking for this kind of support, but if we are to address the gender imbalance in this sector, then this needs to change.

"Tech is still largely dominated by men, but I have found this is not just because of biased recruitment practises, but often because there is a larger pool of male candidates for tech roles. So, there should be a real opportunity for women to stand out, and a CV full of seized development opportunities will certainly help.

"Development is important at all levels and particularly in the early career stages as professionals look to make their mark and find their niche. They're also likely to be up against a higher number of candidates when looking for new roles."

Whelan adds that with a looming tech skills gap, it is the young, early years professionals, both male and female, who are the future and should be getting the support they need to prepare themselves. With businesses vying for the limited tech skills available in Ireland, this is an opportunity for supportive employers.

Whelan, who was instrumental in developing the training programme at emagine before becoming MD, explains: "An employer who offers structured development plans with a series of micro-credentials and certifications will undoubtedly attract and retain the best employees because they will feel valued, driven and like they are constantly learning and so don't need to move on to find new work experiences.

"Women should be looking for this sort of offering from an employer, especially if they feel less confident fighting for investment in their skills. Nonetheless, women must keep constantly working on themselves, their skills, confidence and attitude to risk-taking."

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