Women represent half of the world’s population and are the majority in Brazil. According to data from the Continuous PNAD, 51.1% of the Brazilian population is made up of them. Given the mathematical logic, it is important that these professionals have adequate representation in all sectors of society, including the information technology market, which has low rates of female participation.
Andrea Rivetti, president and founder of Arklok, one of the largest IT infrastructure outsourcing companies in Brazil, idealized the company at just 23 years old. At a young age and with little representation of women in the sector, she faced several obstacles to being taken seriously by businessmen and investors in the area.
”At the beginning of my journey, I needed to be accompanied by men in business meetings, for example. Unfortunately, having a male figure by my side during meetings conveyed more reliability to clients, businessmen and investors. Over time, I conquered my own space, but it wasn’t easy”, explains the businesswoman.
In 2020, female participation in the IT sector in Brazil was 20.3%, representing an increase of 2.5 percentage points compared to 2018, when it was 17.8%. Brasscom’s projection is that female representation will continue to grow in the coming years, reaching 23% in 2025.
”Certainly, the market has evolved and is much more open to women. It even prioritizes female participation in the technology area. However, the low participation of the female public in this sector over a long period brought some social harm to the area, since many women still believe that the technology market is not for them,” emphasizes Rivetti.
With a woman at the head of the company, Arklok grew by prioritizing the hiring of women for senior leadership positions, in addition to encouraging the participation of women in technical sectors. With a national rate of 20.3% of female participation in the IT area, the company has 37% of leadership positions held by women and 34% of total female hires.
”We expect to have higher percentages of female participation in Arklok. Even though the company has a higher hiring profile than the national rate, we would love to get closer to gender equality in participation. However, for this to happen we also need more women to be interested in the technology market”, emphasizes the president.
According to the “Women in Technology” survey, carried out by the McKinsey consultancy, women professionals occupy only 22% of leadership positions in the industry. Despite progress, women’s participation in the IT market in Brazil is still low compared to other countries.
”The trajectory of women in the labor market is filled with a lot of resistance and struggle for belonging. It’s rewarding to see women in high positions, innovating and building their own space in the field, just like I did. However, it is necessary that many girls and women understand that technology is indeed a ‘women’s thing’. I hope that in the coming years more and more women will decide to enter this area”, concludes the president.
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