[TriLUG] The biggest deterrent for women in tech

[John Vaughters]

> But saying "I want this problem solved, or I'm not going into the tech industry" doesn't make any sense.
 
I couldn't agree more. The bottom line is that even if Women get paid less in the tech industry, they will find it much easier to find jobs for companies looking to tout their female staff. I suspect that the ability to job hop for that very reason would raise their salary to equal pay and possibly even higher. 
 
The question remains to me and I am sure many, Why do Women not find Tech Jobs interesting?
 
 I reject pay, because even with the salary inequality, they will still make more than many other options. I tend to lean to cultural reasons that cause disinterest. Let's face it, most of us are doing these jobs, becasue we enjoy it and that right there narrows it down with a certian population that just thinks it is entirely boring and couldn't imagine doing that kind of work all day. Women have no lack of opportunity to join these ranks, so why? Is it easier to find other paths to success? One thing I have noticed working with Indian Tech Support teams, they probably have a much better ratio than we do. Some of those tech teams were 40% women if not more.
 
I think the role model idea is a possibility. We are just now getting women into the powerful positions of huge companies. And several of them came through the Tech Field. This shows it is certianly possible to succeed. If young women had more women to steer them to Tech jobs, that might make a difference. The trend would suggest that is taking hold. Women in the Mechanical Engineering Program were few in my college years, and even non-existent when my Father went to Engineering school. So we are moving, albiet slow. 
 
The bottom line is I just saw a CEO complaining there are not enough Engineering Masters in this Country and they are pushing for H1 Visa reform. We as a country are failing to enroll our children into these good paying fields be it Male or Female.
 
A combination of cultural thought, interest in the subject by a small percentage, and general lack of guiding young people into these fields is probably where I stand as the issue, BUT not pay.