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Cybersecurity expert Eliza-May Austin speaking while seated in a lecture theatre

How your air conditioning could start a cyberattack

  • min read
    • Many big businesses know they could be cybercrime targets and invest in defenses like software and training. That's why cybercriminals are increasingly attacking through smaller suppliers who don't have the same knowledge and resources. It's called a supply chain attack. In Tomorrow Unlocked's second episode in the hacker:HUNTER Behind the Screens series, Eliza-May Austin, CEO and co-founder of th4ts3cur1ty.company (That Security Company,) explains how US retail giant Target was attacked through a most unexpected device – the air conditioning. We ask Austin how businesses can prepare for supply chain attacks and how she thinks things are going for women in cybersecurity careers. In Tomorrow Unlocked's Hacker: HUNTER Behind the Screens video, you talk about the supply chain attack on Target in 2013. Why is this attack so important? Businesses must work with other businesses, which makes us all susceptible to a certain degree of risk. Take an airplane, for example. To go from concept to in the air involves hundreds of businesses, contractors and applications. It takes just one breach to compromise that trusted ecosystem. It's something we should all take seriously. Your business th4ts3cur1ty.company (That Security Company) helps companies large and small harden their supply chains. How do you do that? There are many things businesses can do to defend against supply chain attacks. For example, we run penetration testing, consult on governance, risk and compliance and importantly, logging, monitoring and vulnerability management. Are businesses becoming more aware of supply chain attacks and responding appropriately? I can't confidently say yes, which is why I'm vocal on the issue. I recently asked a small-to-medium company (SMB) that supplies services to the medical sector if they'd considered how an attack would impact their clients' security. I was met with such bemusement you'd think I'd asked for a sandwich. What's the most common problem making businesses vulnerable to supply chain attacks? Not knowing how prevalent it is. But also, some businesses that do understand the issue's scale get overwhelmed by it. These attacks aren't always sophisticated – simple measures can go a long way. How did you get into cybersecurity? I moved from a degree in forensic science to a degree in digital forensics, did some internships and the rest is history. You don't need a degree to be in cybersecurity. Is the industry giving women equal opportunities to enter and succeed yet? I think this industry, like any, is what you make of it. Cybersecurity is a fantastic career choice for women and should be promoted as such. What could employers do today to attract and retain more women? I get asked this a lot, so I wrote 15 ways to attract more women to your technical cybersecurity team. I've included simple, practical things like considering the physical environment. For example, if employees have to crawl around on the floor to plug in a laptop, that may feel degrading when wearing a skirt. I also recommend being more open-minded about what kind of people you need: What is Ladies Hacking Society (LHS) and why did you found it? LHS is an awesome community of women who come together to learn from one another and teach each other hacking. I wanted to create a technical option for women because I found mixed events were not really mixed (mainly men) whereas women's events revolved around governance or high-level theory. It's a lot of fun and a great bunch of people. Which is the most important lesson from your 11 leadership lessons from terrible managers, and why? Lesson 3: A sense of humor matters. People tend to take themselves too seriously. Encouraging people to laugh and joke does wonders for team morale and gets people through stressful times. Let's all calm down and have a giggle.  
women in stem

Are things getting better yet for women in STEM?

  • min read
    • Skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are valuable in today's world. So it's concerning that women make up just 28 percent of the STEM workforce globally. While countless reports have noted this problem, successful women in STEM have set about making sure young women aspiring to STEM careers have a clearer and fairer path. In Kaspersky's award-winning podcast Fast Forward, I interview women helping STEM workplaces be more welcoming to women, and supporting women, girls and non-binary people to reach for STEM success I've advocated for encouraging and supporting women in STEM for many years, having myself relied on the belief of senior women and supportive men to take my expertise seriously. It seems there's still a lot of change to happen. Inspiring and supporting women in STEM careers is essential, especially with shifting careers and jobs in the marketplace across the next decade. Towards more supportive workplaces Patricia Peck is CEO and founding partner of Peck Advogados, Professor of Digital Law and council member of Brazil's Data Protection Authority. Patricia has more than 20 years experience working in a male-led legal environment, with a focus on digital innovation. This led her to examine the scenario for women in STEM. "I was at our Supreme Court in Brazil to talk about how platforms must be more responsible for our safety, and I was the only woman speaking. For Brazil and South America, it's new, but very important to have women in tech and cyber." Patricia aims to create a culture in her company, Peck Advogados, that helps the next generation of women to flourish. "Our multidisciplinary team is more than 60 percent women. We have a diversity policy, and that's unusual in law and tech in Latin America." For Patricia, attracting more young talent comes down to understanding what they value. "They see that we'll give them growth opportunities. They want clear roles, transparency and meritocracy, and they want to have a purpose." Young women leading the conversation Stemettes is an award-winning charity based in London, UK. They run workshops and events for girls, young women and non-binary people aged five to 25, introducing them to role models and careers. These are the words of young women from varied cultural backgrounds now moving into STEM careers. Angel Pooler, who has been working for three years in web and marketing for STEM activities, feels young women need encouragement to enter STEM fields. "I've had to work on my resilience because there are many roadblocks on the way. I've learned to acknowledge my limitations, but also my capabilities." "At university, it became clear how male-dominated STEM is, and I often felt inadequate. I now appreciate why the drop-off in female graduates happens," Angel says. She encourages those at the top to start the ball rolling. "STEM industries and universities must create welcoming atmospheres with equal and transparent salaries. Then, they can do outreach in schools and show female students they're serious about offering careers in STEM." Maeve Stillman studies Biotechnology at University of Manchester, UK. "I don't feel super at ease in the job market as an incoming graduate. STEM is exciting but also intimidating. I'm trying to channel positivity and come back to my core aims and beliefs: Thinking about what I want to achieve and the difference I want to make." Maeve feels inspired by role models. "When I see women high up in companies, it's motivating and helps mitigate some of the imposter syndrome common for women in STEM." Floriane Fidegnon-Edoh is a first-class graduate in manufacturing and mechanical engineering who has worked for three years with consultancies and think tanks. "We need to have dynamic conversations about what it means to be a powerful woman." Floriane advises, "To make STEM more positive for young women, we need to address the gender wage gap. It starts with a culture and ends with the people." Kaspersky surveyed some 13,000 women working in tech in 19 countries. Their report found only one in three women said their school, college or university encouraged them to pursue a tech or IT career. Only one in five were encouraged by meeting female role models in their communities, and more than a third felt this lack of visible role models made them wary of entering the sector. Acknowledging the importance of role models, Kaspersky launched Empower Women project where Kaspersky employees share professional and personal experiences working in cybersecurity. "By having a supportive environment and network, young women can broaden their options and role models," comments Judith Tapia, Sales Manager, Mexico. "It's important to start eliminating gender roles and stereotypes, including those related to choosing specific careers, from our close social circles at home and school." Creating new patterns Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, equity and inclusion expert, is CEO of Stemettes and President of the British Science Association. She was one of the youngest to receive a Master's Degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from University of Oxford, at age 20. Yet she found men often underestimated her as she moved through her career. Anne-Marie says, "There's much research into why some men find it tough to accept innovation coming from women in the STEM sector. Many are pattern-matching around what they've seen success and innovation look like." In other words, they're consciously or unconsciously expecting a tech innovator to resemble a stereotype. Anne-Marie believes role models are crucial. "We're finally seeing stories like the 2016 film Hidden Figures about NASA, where women particularly have led instrumental work. As these stories were hidden, many people – not just men – grew up thinking women can't contribute technically. They can't imagine a technical woman, let alone one they'd respect or be fine working for." She points to how underestimating women could be harming innovation. "Innovation may sometimes arise from problems, perspectives or experiences men don't recognize." I asked Anne-Marie how we can ensure women can confidently follow a career path alongside male colleagues. She said, "We need to listen to and understand women in the STEM sector, those looking to enter and those who've left. This means listening to the experiences they've had applying for roles, promotion within a role and going into leadership. A first step toward equitable practice is understanding the differences and putting policies in place to address those." Changing the future Despite government and corporate reviews, significant news coverage of the gender pay gap and protests over 'manels' (all-male panels) at conferences, there hasn't been enough change for women in STEM. How can we ensure the future is different? Anne-Marie says, "Ten years ago, there were two reports a week talking about this problem. I'm hoping in the next 10 years and hopefully faster, we'll see a move from lip service to action – folks taking on allyship and equitable practice, acting on those pledges and reports." Patricia feels governments must play a stronger part. "I believe regulation has a role. Change won't be widely implemented by choice. Countries should commit to diversity and protect human rights by law, not just ethics and values." It's not always easy for women in STEM to retain confidence and fulfill their potential. Historical and cultural differences worldwide mean every country is at a different stage. Many schemes and networks emerged in the last decade to encourage girls and women to study STEM, start their own businesses and reach leadership. But globally, female founders of STEM companies receive less than five percent of STEM investment, and in the last 30 years, numbers of women studying engineering have barely increased. Noushin Shabab, Iranian-born cybersecurity researcher at Kaspersky, says, "While gender parity in IT is still nowhere in sight, we need to understand that both men and women have the same brains in the biological sense, and are equally capable of intellectual work." According to Noushin, it's essential to talk about gender stereotypes early on and encourage girls to take an interest in technology. Closing the gender gap in STEM isn't just a matter of right and wrong – it's good for business. Diverse teams have been shown to widen a company's customer base. Many men also believe in equitable practice. Those who acknowledge and speak out about issues women in STEM face can make a huge difference, helping other men reflect inclusive views in the workplace. Will future equity for women in STEM be held back by lip service? Perhaps regulation is necessary to ensure accountability and action. One thing is certain – the younger generations of STEM women show that innovation is not bound by gender.
women gaming

Women’s growing inclusion in gaming has lessons for business

  • min read
    • At a TED talk in California in 1998, pioneer games designer Brenda Laurel asked why gaming companies weren't making games for little girls when the market was worth six billion dollars? She concluded the male-dominated games industry was missing out on so much money because it only knew how to appeal to its own demographic. The games industry may have heard her. Soon, the race was on to diversify game themes, characters and spaces. Most gamers welcomed diversity, but some saw it as a threat – typified by a large, highly organized misogynistic harassment campaign, #Gamergate, emerging in 2014. Diversification in gaming was, however, unstoppable. Although today's gaming sector is still male-dominated, there is growing involvement of girls, women and non-binary people. In the 2020s, a rising four in ten gamers are women. I am the writer and presenter of Season 2 of Kaspersky's award-winning podcast Fast Forward, examining trends shaping technology from the perspective of the recent past. In Episode 2, I interview leading women in the gaming sector to discover how the industry is changing for women and non-binary people, and what other businesses can learn. Women-centered events and targeted mentoring In parts of the world where cultural and religious beliefs make it hard for women to game, some are working to create a smoother, safer path for young women who want to game or work in gaming. Many women's gaming events and networks have emerged worldwide. The expansion of game content and formats has helped – popular titles now include adventure games, role-playing games, cultural games that aim to solve local or global issues, and more. Ghada Almoqbel, Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Arabia's convention for women and girls in gaming, GCON, says that today women make up around 46 percent of Saudi's gamers, but were once much rarer. Ghada tells how she got involved. "I started playing video games when I was little. The only girls I knew that played were me and my sister. In 2012, I heard of the girls' convention, GCON. I didn't go, but the pictures and videos on social media were amazing." Ghada started with GCON as a volunteer, writing articles and helping organize events like 'game jams' – where everyone works together to make a game from scratch. She became Chief Executive Officer in 2018. Ask women what they need to succeed Through Ghada's leadership, GCON is growing and changing. "Our new strategy involves three departments: Game development, eSports and entertainment. Before we plan events or activities, we ask questions like, what do women need in eSports or game development?" Ghada elaborates on GCON's eSports program. "It aims to identify talent, support and empower. We want to make them role models. We want them to have more exposure in Saudi Arabia and internationally. But we're careful with eSports, because there's still lots of harassment." Have clearly communicated anti-harassment strategies In its 2021 survey, global anti-hate organization ADL found five in six adults who played online multiplayer games experienced harassment. Research has also found hostile sexism is a significant motivator of in-game harassers. David advocates for clear ways to report harassment. "In situations involving trolling, abuse or anything harmful, players need to know how to report it." He also thinks male-dominated game design may contribute to the problem. "We must see more women involved in game design and production so that the environment reflects all genders." But gamers aren't always using all available security features. "There's a fear that protecting a device might slow down the computer, but that doesn't have to be so. Gamers should check internet security solutions will work around their gaming experience. Look for gaming or do-not-disturb modes, which turn off notifications while you're playing." Ask non-binary people what they want from your products Jennifer Donahue is Head of Publishing and Marketing at HiDef games in California, US. She's worked in gaming for 25 years. Jen believes players care about being able to be themselves through their character or avatar. "Growing up, there were no strong female Jedi in Star Wars, so I wanted to be Luke Skywalker. I ended up mainly being male characters because I wanted those powers. Today, you have more options. You can largely create a character that looks like you." However, some groups are still largely marginalized from game character development. "We know non-binary folks have difficulty finding representation in avatars and gaming." Non-binary people are those who see themselves as neither male nor female. HiDef learned a lot from asking non-binary people directly what they wanted. "We did focus groups with non-binary players to understand what they wanted from game avatars. We found you have to let them do whatever they want with an avatar – whether it's accessories or customizing size and shape, or adding prosthetic limbs if you're disabled and want to show that." The non-binary players also suggested recording non-binary people dancing, as their dancing may differ from that of men or women. Jen says, "It's not just the avatar's appearance, but their actions. All these things help players authentically connect with their character." Leaders ensuring other leaders are respectful of women Jen feels the behavior of men in the workplace can still impact some women who work in gaming, but those at the top can change that. "Many men in the industry have grown up behaving in a certain way. As I have status in the industry now, I can help the next generation by calling out actions in the moment, in a professional, respectful way." She thinks more accepting, nurturing workplaces will pay off for companies. "When I'm in a safe space, I can bring my authentic self to work each day. That means I can perform at my best, as can my coworkers. Representation from different groups can only make products better." The gaming sector is growing fast with the evolution of immersive virtual worlds. It's an important future work sector. Today, huge groups of diverse players collaborate in-game to make environments they want to be in and share – homes and social spaces, festivals and galleries, even governments and schools. This is called 'world building' – it's opposite to the competitive, conflict-driven games of the last decades. There's more space opening for women and non-binary makers and players, and other diverse communities. Finally, games and virtual worlds could be part of the solution for some real-world problems we face.
women who shaped computing, careers, education, history Woman uses laptop on desk alongside model space rocket. Portraits of notable women hang on her wall.

We should all know about these women who shaped cybersecurity

  • min read
    • According to Cybercrime Magazine research, women held 25 percent of cybersecurity jobs globally in 2022. Surely cyber and computing careers are for everyone. So why are many women tuning out? Today's working wisdom is that diversity benefits teams, but there's slow progress in getting more women to join technology-led careers and keeping them on board. Human computers: The first data scientists The word 'computer,' coined in 1613, was first used for humans who performed computation. Many of the best were women: Nicole-Reine Etable de la Brière Lepaute helped predict Halley's Comet's return in 1758. A century later, Maria Mitchell plotted the planet Venus's motion, earning an astronomy professorship. When the US Civil War ended in 1865, war widows needed to support themselves. Women were hired as human computers. Agnes Meyer Driscoll, known as 'Madame X,' led the decoding of Japanese ciphers and manuals for the US during both world wars. Women solved the ultimate Enigma Britain's Alan Turing is famed for cracking the Nazi's 'Enigma' code during World War II, but it wasn't the work of a lone genius. Of Bletchley Park's codebreaking team, 75 percent were women. Turing's colleague Joan Clarke worked out how to speed up decoding double-encrypted messages, but unlike many of her male colleagues, her technique wasn't named after her. Clarke's job title didn't match her expertise – there was no 'senior female cryptanalyst' role, so she was given the job title 'linguist.' Painstaking calculation devalued as 'kilo-girls' The dominance of women as human computers cloaked an inconvenient truth. Their work was on average better, and they were cheaper than male counterparts. The Harvard Computers, mockingly called "Pickering's harem," supported Edward Pickering at Harvard Observatory in the 1880s, doing work men and scholars found tedious, unpaid or at a fraction of what men earned. The term 'kilo-girl' came about in the 1940s to describe complex calculations seen as 'women's work.' We measure computing power in gigabytes or terabytes, but they measured kilo-girl hours – one kilo-girl was a thousand hours of painstaking calculations. The kilo-girls work was far from trivial: In the 1950s, Gladys West's calculations for the US Naval Weapons Laboratory led to GPS's development. Computing becomes a man's world By the 1960s, human computing had given way to machines. In the 1940s programmers were mostly women, but by the end of the 1960s women made up 30 to 50 percent. Women were still paid less and few were promoted to leadership. The perception computing is for men and boys started at home. A 1984 report showed 1 in 5 girls used a computer at home, compared with 1 in 2 boys. Female computer science graduates peaked in 1984 at 37 percent, before steadily declining. Academic Wendy Hall says by the 1990s, men led professional computing and computers "were sold as toys for boys." Ten women from computer history to know Ada Lovelace invents the first algorithm Publishing the first algorithm in 1843, Ada Lovelace is said to be the world's first computer programmer. She realized Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine could do more than calculation: Combining mathematics and analysis. Ada Lovelace Day celebrates women's achievements in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and encourages young women to follow her path. Hedy Lamarr averts the Cuban Missile Crisis 1940s Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr co-invented a frequency-hopping method to control torpedoes remotely without the risk of signal tracking or jamming. Naval ships were using the technology by the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. It later became part of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Grace Hopper invents new ways to code Grace Hopper created the first compiler for a programming language. She programmed and wrote a comprehensive manual for an electro-mechanical computer based on Babbage and Lovelace's Analytical Engine, Harvard Mark I. She wasn't credited for this but is widely miscredited for coining the term 'bug' when a moth caused her computer to malfunction. She later developed computer programming language COBOL (common business-oriented language) and invented new symbolic ways to write code. Margaret Hamilton took us to the moon The 1969 moon landing wouldn't have happened without Margaret Hamilton, who programmed Apollo's flight software.It needed more 'human computing:' After Hamilton's programming, seamstresses hardwired the code by threading copper wire through magnetic rings. Elizabeth "Jake" Feinler organized the internet At Stanford University in 1969, Elizabeth "Jake" Feinler created the first internet directory, ARPANET, alongside mostly female staff. By the early 1970s, they'd put together the first WHOIS directory of web domain ownership. Feinler suggested categorizing domains by where the computer was, like .edu domains for educational institutions. Women who built new audiences for technology Organizing, building relationships and human factors – often thought of as female traits – are critical in computing projects' success and creating demand for new services. Joan Ball set up the first computer-aided dating service in 1964. In 1988, Stacy Horn started a community in New York, the East Coast Hang Out (ECHO,) where users could chat online. Game designer Brenda Laurel's research showed girls wanted to play more interactive character computer games. In the 1990s, her company Purple Moon developed a best-selling game series inspired by that research. In the 1970s, Joan Margaret Winters researched how software should consider human factors for IBM's SHARE project. When you see the iconic trash symbol on your Apple Mac, thank Susan Kare. She worked with Steve Jobs to design its original icons. Today's influencers for women in cybersecurity When young people see people who look like them succeed in a career, they're more likely to choose it. For women considering going into cybersecurity, there's no shortage of inspiration. Parisa Tabriz, the self-styled "Security Princess" (official title: Director of Engineering,) runs Google's security testing labs. Eva Galperin, Director of Cybersecurity at Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF,) fights for digital privacy, security and civil liberties. Eva Galperin helps women secure their devices against stalkers and spying ex-partners. Rebecca Bace's threat intrusion detection work at the US National Security Agency contributed to famous hacker Kevin Mitnick's arrest. The cybersecurity community nicknamed her 'Den Mother' for her vital mentorship and advice and posthumously inducted her into the 2019 Cyber Security Hall of Fame. Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE creates skills training and certification to encourage young women to pursue cyber careers through her company Stemettes. Jane Frankland, security entrepreneur and author of InSecurity: Why a failure to attract and retain women in cybersecurity is making us all less safe, helps the C-Suite (senior management) attract and retain women in cybersecurity. Attracting and retaining more women in IT careers In the UK in 2022, just 19 percent of IT professionals were women. But in many countries, such as those in Central Asia, women make up nearly half of the IT workforce. It's the gender-equality paradox: In countries with less gender equality, educated women seek careers with more income security, while in countries with better gender equality, women avoid careers said to discriminate against women. There are green shoots of progress. Kaspersky's Women in tech report surveyed women in four global regions. Encouragingly, 57 percent say gender equality is improving in their organization. Despite this, 44 percent think male colleagues progress faster. In the report, Dr. Ronda Zelezny-Green, Co-Founder and Director of Panoply Digital, says change is slow because "too much activity around gender equality in IT focuses on one-off gimmicks and band-aid solutions that can be spotlighted in the press, instead of focusing on female employees and actions that will make a sustained difference in their professional lives." Dr. Zelezny-Green thinks we should entice more women into the industry by creating new products and services for women. Widely-reported diversity problems with Artificial intelligence (AI) could be seen as an opportunity: "There's huge potential in telling the stories of Timnit Gebreu and Joy Buolamwini, black women leading the charge for more ethical and inclusive AI design. These stories make inroads in IT and tech roles where women are currently underrepresented." In a prosperous future, we won't need to ask "Where are the women in cyber?" They're not hiding under the desk. They're making change, but in another industry. We're on the right path, but it's a long journey ahead. With more women, we can better create products that represent users and benefit from a gender-equal computing industry.
neurodiversity interview nicola whiting

How cybersecurity businesses are welcoming neurodiverse talent

  • min read
    • Neurodiversity's importance in organizations is gaining steam, with many large, tech-rich enterprises like Ford, IBM and Microsoft reforming their HR processes to ensure they recruit and retain neurodiverse talent. Neurodivergent people have conditions that mean they think differently than others, for example, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia. I asked Nicola Whiting MBE, co-owner of Titania Group and NeuroCyber board member,  why neurodiversity matters in cybersecurity and how businesses can be more inclusive and supportive of neurodivergent employees. Gemma: Why is neurodiversity important? Nicola: Neurodiversity – where you have many different thinking styles and perspectives – increases the range of ideas in a business, which means competitive advantage in innovation and resilience. It's the opposite of groupthink – when everyone has similar ideas, so businesses stagnate and make poor decisions. More personally, being autistic, I'm saddened by how many brilliant neurodivergent people struggle to get jobs in our industry, despite the known skills gap. JPMorgan Chase reported in 2021 that neurodivergent employees in certain tech roles may be up to 140 percent more productive than neurotypical colleagues. However, businesses still struggle to build inclusive practices that let all neurotypes thrive. I want to help change that. You're on NeuroCyber's advisory board. What are its aims? NeuroCyber's founder and CEO, Mike Spain, has a neurodivergent son. He saw too few opportunities for neurodivergent people in cybersecurity and wanted to change that. NeuroCyber believes in inclusion at every level – over half the board are neurodivergent. We're driven to improve career outcomes for neurodivergent colleagues, enriching the sector and reducing the UK's cyber skills gap. Why does the cybersecurity industry especially benefit from neurodiversity? In cybersecurity, everything we do is either innovation – creating new things – or resilience against attack and business threat. Neurodiversity is essential for both. For example, if you follow the principle 'to defeat an attacker, you must be able to think like an attacker,' you need a variety of neurotypes because attackers are similarly varied. What about in leadership? Should boards and C-suites consider neurodiversity? Absolutely. Boards should be especially wary of groupthink. Many innovative, well-known entrepreneurs are neurodivergent, like Richard Branson, who is dyslexic, and Elon Musk, who is autistic. There are also many neurodivergent industry leaders who don't disclose the fact because they fear stigma. Which cyber organizations are 'doing it right' with neurodiversity? One organization I admire is Genius Within, founded by Dr. Nancy Doyle. They believe in creating inclusive workplaces, allowing neurodivergent people to thrive and maximize their talents and strengths. What's your advice for companies that want to become more diverse and inclusive of neurodiversity? Follow the principle of 'nothing about us without us' (NAUWU.) Teams that can drive their processes and practices are more engaged and have better outcomes. You should also acknowledge that people have unconscious bias that draws them to prefer working with people that look and think like themselves. You can see it in the questions we prioritize in recruitment like, "Will this person fit with the team?" rather than, "What new skills and talents will they bring, and how will we support them?" There's plenty of fantastic advice on reducing bias in hiring and retaining team members, much of which is free. Companies needn't look far to learn how to improve their processes, practices and culture for greater diversity and inclusion. What will organizations gain if they take action on neurodiversity? Taking action on neurodiversity can mean benefits in terms of growth, innovation and resilience to risk. You'll also gain the personal benefits of inclusive, welcoming work environments. It always pays to diversify. Opinions reflect those of the expert. Interview has been edited for clarity.
returnship programs

How return-to-work programs boost retention for women in tech

  • min read
    • Mothers returning to work after a career break to raise children face many challenges, from closed doors to employers penalizing resumé gaps to being expected to take a backward step for a more family-friendly role. Research by the Association of British Insurers in 2018 found having children leads to women earning 20 percent less than men long-term. UK charity Pregnant then Screwed's data shows around 62 percent of women returners work fewer hours, change jobs or stop working because of high childcare costs. Support in returning to work How can companies support women to thrive in the workforce while closing the gender pay gap? Harvard Business Review names "returnships," or return-to-work programs, as one of the top five ways. PWC research shows better supporting returners could raise UK women's earnings 1.1 billion British pounds (around 1.5 billion US dollars) while boosting the UK economy 1.7 billion British pounds ($2.3 billion US dollars.) Meta, formerly Facebook, launched its returnships program. People who've been away from work for two years or more and want to re-enter full time are eligible for the 16-week, immersive, paid program. If you show ability to succeed after training and mentorship, you're considered for a full-time position. Returning without starting from scratch With a nearly four-year resumé gap after having two children, IT professional Zandra Otubamowo anticipated picking up her career where she'd left it. But after a string of rejections, she had to consider starting from scratch. She says, "I had many mixed feelings, but the one that stands out was the frustration of trying to get something you know you want, but it's not coming, and you don't know what else to do." Otubamowo continues, "In that gap, it's not like I was sitting at home, just taking care of my family. I was still learning about the technical world, doing training and connecting with people. So what didn't I have? I felt like the gap was the reason." A friend told Otubamowo about Meta's Return to Work program. She applied immediately and started her role as Technical Program Manager in September 2020. Meta hopes its Return-to-Work initiative will help double female employees globally by 2026 – women are currently around 37 percent of their workforce. "The support in the program was like being put into a bubble to protect us, which you don't get when you just come in normally," Otubamowo says. "From my manager to my mentor and my buddy, there were so many people put in place for me to make sure I succeed. You're coming into a space where things are moving so quickly, but in the program, people help you move at your pace. I don't think I could have survived otherwise." "We need more women to feel comfortable coming back into the workforce and not feel like they have to take a paycut or fall behind – that you are going to be given what you deserve," says Otubamowo. Bridging the gender gap Financial services group Nomura launched its Returners Program in 2019 as part of a plan to increase numbers of women in the business. The program gives 12 weeks' induction, training and coaching to anyone who's had a career break of 18 months or more, after which candidates can apply for positions at the company. Most succeed. Nomura is aiming for 33 percent female employees and has so far reached 31 percent. They want 19 percent working at senior level and have reached 14 percent. After a seven-year career break to care for two young daughters, Rachael Grieve recalls jumping back into the job market in 2019 and finding nothing but despair. The yawning gap in her resumé left her with few opportunities that suited her experience and ideal schedule. After a failed interview for an office manager position, "I went home and burst into tears, thinking, "That's it – I'm done." It felt like all these doors were closed. I still remember that desperation and fear, especially after interviews destroy your confidence. You find yourself stuck as to where to go." Soon after, a chance conversation with a friend who still worked at her previous employer, Nomura, led to Grieve returning and setting up the company's Returners Program. Shereen Peeroo Finney, a cybersecurity architect, joined Nomura in 2019 through the program after taking two years away to reassess her career direction and retrain. "We had resumé advice, practice interviews, external mentoring and a 90-day plan. The program helps you regain confidence a lot faster," Peeroo Finney says. Securing the right support and partners for success Tackling gender inequality isn't easy, admits Grieve, now Nomura's global head of learning and development for technology. She feels strongly about leading this program, so it becomes a standard part of Nomura's diversity, equality and inclusion strategy. "Our Chief Information Officer from day one was 100 percent supportive," Grieve says. "It made a massive difference to be given the platform and sponsorship. I also made sure all senior managers understood the caliber of candidates we were getting through it." Specialist firm Inclusivity Partners helps run Nomura's returnship program and similar programs for Shell and Virgin Money. Inclusivity Partners founder Stephanie Dillon says, "If you want to make the difference for women, they need a job. They need pension contributions. They need financial independence. With return programs, you're providing a job opportunity. Now [when the candidate is] back in the market, other companies think, "that's a good candidate," rather than fixating on the career break."
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Secure Futures magazine is your go-to business guide for opinions, trends and insight into the world of technology and cybersecurity. We help your business to bring on the future. Brought to you by Kaspersky, the global cybersecurity experts.

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