ICT definition implication on ICT career choice and exclusion among women

Abstract

ICT is driving all areas of the economy and is likely to dictate the future for all genders. The narrow definition of ICT has greatly impacted on the female gender choosing ICT as a career of choice. There are few women in the ICT careers. The study sought to determine the nature of ICT career gender exclusion, status and trend of ICT job opportunities, source of ICT gender career exclusion and the contribution of the narrow definition to the exclusion. A mixed method of survey and desktop method was employed in this study. A structured questionnaire was used in this study in order to identify the factors that influence ICT career choice amongst Kenyan lady students. A purposive sample of Information Technology and Computer Science undergraduate university students (77 females, 56 males; age range 17 to 35 years) and 10 postgraduate students in Information Technology from two public universities participated in the study. The paper discusses the emerging unfilled ICT jobs. The study established that the narrow definition negatively influences ICT as a career of Choice among girls. Broadening ICT definition to include ICT related careers that have more social rather than technical aspect accordingly is likely to influence more women to join the field.