Salaries in the information technology (IT) sector are twice as high as in other sectors, which also motivates young people to pursue studies in IT. As long as they perform well in the exact sciences, possess logical thinking skills, and demonstrate patience and precision, it is definitely worth studying to work in the IT sector in the future. It is positive that public awareness of IT and its added value to the economy is now much greater, and as a result, attitudes toward women’s place in the sector are gradually changing. At SIA “ZZ Dats,” 45% of the more than 200-person workforce are women. While some studies indicate that, on average, 14% of women work in IT in Europe, this figure is much higher for us.
At the same time, studies show that women in Latvia earn on average 10% less than men. Although women have just as many opportunities as men, the proportion of women in certain professions remains relatively lower. Both in Latvia and elsewhere in the world, there are not many women who are ready to build a career in high-paying professions, working not only in IT but also in various management roles, as well as in telecommunications, logistics, energy, and construction.
In recent years in Latvia, it has been popular to complete IT courses lasting a few weeks or months without prior experience in the IT sector and then look for a job; however, it must be recognized that those who have completed such courses will not possess the same level of knowledge as university graduates, resulting in lower competitiveness in the job market. Of course, continuing education courses provide additional knowledge and opportunities to specialize in various IT fields for those who have already acquired a solid knowledge base. Lifelong learning is more important today than ever before, and our employees also regularly update their knowledge.
Although the number of students this academic year is the lowest in the past 20 years, many still wish to study IT, and several of Latvia’s largest universities offer such programs. If you are determined to build a career in the IT sector, I would encourage you to pursue an academic education in this field; and the experience of SIA “ZZ Dats” also shows that in our hiring process, we primarily select employees with a bachelor’s or master’s degree; some employees later pursue doctoral studies.
Over the past century, the proportion of female students in Latvia has doubled; more than half of current students are women, and while the IT sector is more popular among men, there are women who choose it and excel in it, later working in the profession. So far, however, we see that more boys apply for the “Career Day” for students each year, and internships are also predominantly filled by men, but it is encouraging that this ratio is slowly, yet steadily, changing. Overall, young people’s interest in IT studies is high, and our demand for IT specialists is also growing. In the 2023–2024 academic year, 6,400 students are studying natural sciences, mathematics, and information technology—70.5% of these students are men. It is clear that gender balance in this regard could still be greater!
We often hear that teenagers don’t know what they’ll study, but at the same time, many are already exploring the possibility of pursuing a career in the IT sector and gaining additional knowledge. It’s certainly much easier for them to enroll in college to continue studying IT.
How can girls progress toward IT studies and work in the industry? During school, a lot certainly depends on the girl’s diligence in her studies and the additional skills she acquires, for example, at the currently very popular “coding schools.” It is evident that IT students currently enter university with very good grades; the most knowledgeable students achieve the greatest success on entrance exams, though for now, there are more boys among them. They have strong grades in math, physics, and chemistry.
Most aspiring programmers excel in math, physics, and chemistry; they play brain games and are passionate about computer technology, IoT solutions, smart device applications, video games, and more. This is often where an interest in software begins. In our view, this is a good starting point for how the IT sector could eventually spark students’ interest and help them succeed.
Experienced programmers are in the highest demand—gender doesn’t matter
SIA “ZZ Dats” is a company with extensive experience in developing IT solutions; we take pride in developing projects that are significant to society and believe that our formula for success is highly qualified IT specialists. Gender is never a factor in our company, which is also reflected in the aforementioned ratio; all colleagues are competent and professional, and we value all the work they put in equally highly!
Moreover, in a large company like SIA “ZZ Dats,” gender diversity is important in discussing ideas, making decisions, and creating a sense of balance in the company’s overall atmosphere. We are growing, responding to demand; the company has big plans and new ideas, so we are constantly expanding our team, which is increasingly represented by women. All decisions are made on-site, and women also hold key decision-making roles in various positions. The company supports employee continuing education, especially when an employee’s career development goals are directly related to their work.
It is evident that various educational initiatives have encouraged greater female participation in the IT sector. Of course, it all depends on each individual; if there is a desire to work and grow in the IT sector, the opportunities are vast!
A key indicator of the company’s well-being is the children welcomed into our employees’ families, which is why in 2023 we were particularly focused on hiring temporary staff, as our female colleagues took extended maternity leave to do the best job in the world. It is also important for women to know that they will feel secure about their future at their workplace and will be able to balance raising children with their careers.
Most of the employees at SIA “ZZ Dats” are long-term IT project managers, programmers, testers, and systems analysts, but the company regularly hires additional employees, whom we can provide with well-paid jobs so that they and their family members have stable and secure opportunities for development in their home country—Latvia. Regardless of gender, we warmly welcome IT specialists—we are especially looking for experienced programmers! Experience shows that there are currently few women with programming experience in the market, but our observations indicate that the situation may gradually change over the next few years.
