The statistics for women in information technology are pretty dire. At a time when women hold 57% of professional occupations (BLS 2018) and make up 57% of bachelor degree recipients (IPEDS 2017), only 26% of roles in professional computing are held by women. The number of women pursuing computer science degrees has gone down from 37% in 1985 to just 19% today. IT organizations struggle to hire, retain, and promote women. A significant contributor to these dire numbers is the culture within IT organizations.

The good news is that there are simple, practical steps that everyone can take to make the workplace more inclusive. In this panel discussion, you'll hear from women in IT roles and male allies in key leadership roles share stories and strategies for helping to make the workplace more supportive for women.

By the end of the session, attendees will be able to describe some of the challenges facing women in the workplace, identify practical strategies they can implement right away to make the workplace more welcoming, and access resources for more information and actions.

The panel presentation will be interactive, with questions and activities for attendees throughout. There will also be time to discuss ideas for continuing the conversation within Cal State Tech after the conference.