Members of underrepresented groups often encounter hurdles when entering the technology industry. These challenges range from fewer opportunities to systemic biases to underrepresentation among tech company leadership.
However, the industry is striving to broaden its perspective and reach by bringing in more diverse talent, and tech leaders are working to implement practical strategies to overcome long-standing barriers. Below, members of Forbes Technology Council share specific obstacles underrepresented groups face when entering and progressing within the tech industry, as well as actions tech companies can take to encourage diversity and inclusivity.
1. An Existing Absence Of Diversity
Apart from limited access to tech education, underrepresented groups often face an existing lack of diversity and inclusion in technology-related companies. Businesses need to implement inclusive hiring practices and provide training for their employees to address unconscious bias and ensure a more welcoming workplace. – Roman Vrublivskyi, SmartHub
2. A Lack Of Accessibility Tools For Those Who Are Disabled
Accessibility is still an issue in the tech industry, which typically assumes a baseline level of physical ability—for example, being able to use tools such as Zoom to give and review presentations. Artificial intelligence can be transformative for employees with disabilities, such as developers who are blind or visually impaired, by removing barriers to sharing information and empowering them to execute tasks more efficiently. – Heidi Farris, ActivTrak
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3. Strict Expertise And Educational Preferences
Tech has a narrow definition of what the “best engineer” looks like on paper, but credentials alone don’t make people great—grit, intellectual curiosity and the desire to find great solutions to problems do. These skills are often stronger in people with nontraditional backgrounds. Companies need to look beyond technical expertise and an Ivy League education to foster diversity of people and ideas. – Pedro Canahuati, 1Password
4. Underexposure To Technical Career Options
In my experience, underrepresented groups don’t receive the necessary exposure to technical careers as an option. To help break that barrier, we participate in high school job fairs and internship programs. Internships are probably the most useful tool, as they provide participants with experience they can use later, as well as showing them possibilities they might otherwise have never considered. – Paul Blough, BloughTech
5. Unnecessary Entry-Level Requirements
A big barrier for underrepresented groups is the lack of opportunity to achieve many of the requirements for entry-level jobs—requirements that are often really not necessary—such as a four-year degree, multiyear experience, certifications and so on. Many skills can be learned quickly, so consider adding requirements for “future skills” that can be developed within a mentorship program or individually. – Ed Adams, Security Innovation
6. Limited Resources For Skills Development And Networking
One challenge underrepresented groups face in pursuing careers in technology is the lack of access to resources and opportunities for skills development and networking. The technology industry can contribute to solving this issue by making training and education available for free, creating networking events (including job fairs), and extending internships specifically to underrepresented groups. – Bhushan Parikh, Get Digital Velocity, LLC
7. A Lack Of Progress On Gender Gaps
Less than 30% of the tech industry is composed of women, and that percentage is even lower in C-suite roles. The technology industry should implement policies for all tech companies to have at least 45% female representation in their workforces, up to and including the board level. Mentorship should be established in tech companies to direct women on their career paths. – Nihinlola Adeyemi, ErrandPay Limited
8. Fewer Higher Education Opportunities
Underrepresented groups often encounter barriers in STEM fields due to a lack of access to higher education, resources and mentorship. A practical approach to addressing this is to foster partnerships with educational institutions to provide scholarships, internships and mentorship programs. This can help bridge the gap by empowering people with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive in STEM careers. – Frank Chan, Medtronic
9. Lack Of Access To Mentorship Opportunities
Underrepresented groups often lack networking and mentorship opportunities in tech. Promoting diversity within tech companies and offering mentorship programs and scholarships can help overcome this barrier. – Stoyan Mitov, Dreamix
10. Being Overlooked Due To Misperceptions
The technology industry has many areas of underrepresentation; however, not all gaps are equally understood. Many IT teams include neurodivergent staff members, but they are often not considered for management and leadership positions since they are perceived as lacking the required interpersonal skills. Addressing conscious and subconscious bias is a critical step toward resolution. – Mark Brown, British Standards Institution (BSI)
11. The Digital Divide
The digital divide and educational disparities form a significant barrier. To bridge this, localized tech hubs, supported by industry partnerships, could offer coding boot camps, digital literacy workshops and local mentorship opportunities within underserved communities. This grassroots approach democratizes tech education and nurtures a diverse ecosystem of innovation and inclusion. – Amitkumar Shrivastava, Fujitsu
12. Fewer Opportunities To Make Professional Connections
Networking plays a crucial role in developing a personal brand. Currently, many of those in underrepresented groups have fewer opportunities to build professional connections. Thus, organizing inclusive networking events, mentorship programs and partnerships with organizations will give them the exposure they need to kick-start their careers. – Gergo Vari, Lensa, Inc.
13. Being Steered Away From STEM Fields
Being a woman in a male-majority field brings specific challenges at times. There can be unconscious bias or assumptions made about your technical abilities. We must work on breaking down stereotypes and prejudices that steer many girls away from STEM fields early on. Too often, young girls are discouraged from pursuing these areas. Having more positive female role models in tech can also help immensely. – Juta Gurinaviciute, NordLayer
14. Gaps In STEM Education
Representation gaps in the tech industry are often rooted in representation gaps in STEM education. Tech companies can help bridge this divide by accounting for these barriers in their hiring processes. Expanding their hiring criteria to consider skills and potential, rather than focusing narrowly on degrees and past roles, can help tech companies tap into underrepresented pools of talent. – Merav Yuravlivker, Data Society
15. Tech Companies’ Failure To Communicate The Advantages Of Working In The Industry
Despite progress in tech opportunities for women, they are still underrepresented in technical roles. While representation and role models in education are crucial to combating this, tech companies can also do their part by promoting the advantages of working in the tech field. One of them is remote work, which studies show is a perk that the majority of women prefer. – Prashant Ketkar, Parallels (part of Alludo)
16. Feelings Of Imposter Syndrome Or Inadequacy
Imposter syndrome often plagues underrepresented groups in tech, fueled by feelings of inadequacy or not belonging. The tech industry can address this by fostering inclusive environments, providing mentorship programs and showcasing diverse role models. Creating supportive communities where all voices are valued can empower underrepresented individuals to thrive in tech careers. – Favour Femi-Oyewole, Access Bank PLC
17. Widespread Unconscious Bias
I am a member of an underrepresented community, and I have so many thoughts on this based on my decades of working in the industry. We have many challenges—they include a lack of role models and limited access to networks, mentors and funding. The single most significant challenge, however, is the unconscious, mostly unintended, biases and stereotypes that play a role in all aspects of the tech industry, including hiring, promotions, fundraising and more. – Maria Scott, TAINA Technology
18. Open Roles Being Filled Internally Or Through Employee Referrals
In the tech industry, open job roles are often filled by referrals, which may be heavily influenced by individuals who already hold roles within the company and their personal and professional networks. Practically, businesses that are committed to reducing barriers facing underrepresented groups might strive to equally interview both candidates who are not referrals and candidates who are referrals. – Caroline Wong, Cobalt
19. Noninclusive Company Cultures
Corporate diversity doesn’t necessarily equal inclusion. After getting a job in IT, a member of an underrepresented group may face a culture that isolates them from continuous professional growth, actual leadership and decision-making roles. It may even extend to the creation of stereotypical roles for individuals from these groups. Introduce a buddy system where mentors help these individuals be fully included. – Yuri Gubin, DataArt
20. Biased Hiring Practices
Underrepresented groups often face implicit biases in hiring, which can subtly influence decision-making. A practical step for the tech industry is implementing blind recruitment processes, where identifying details are removed from résumés and applications. This helps ensure that candidates are evaluated purely on their skills and qualifications, promoting a more inclusive hiring environment. – Rohit Anabheri, Sakesh Solutions LLC
