Unfinished Business: Women in the Silicon Valley Economy

Women of Silicon Valley A regional collaboration about the changing role of women in the SV economy and community “Achieving the promise of the new economy”

Twin Revolutions Are Shaping Our Lives Social Change Women’s Workforce Participation Economic Change New Economy

New Economy: More Than Dot-Coms

Workforce Participation Nearly Universal

Our “Unfinished Business” We have gone partway….....We have not realigned our workplaces, our communities, and ourselves fundamentally to new realities and opportunities.

I. The Whole Life Challenge Home WorkCommunity

Time Is Valued Job Quality Women Want #1 Time for Life #2 Good Co-Worker Relations #3 Good Salary/Income #4 Challenging Work

Women Value Flexibility Over Perks

Self-Employment Creates Flexibility, Customization

II. Going to the Top

Women Are Leading….

…But Remain Rare at Top of Valley Corporations

Women in Tech Perceive Gender Barriers

III. Women Entrepreneurs

Self-Employment Creates Flexibility, Customization

IV. Technical Women “Invention depends fundamentally on creativity. And creativity, I believe, springs from a diversity of good people talking about the possibilities.” -Carly Fiorina, Hewlett-Packard

Women Earn Small Share of Tech Degrees

Girls Prepared in Math/Science…

…But Show Low Interest in Tech Careers Source: A.T. Kearney, student surveys

Tech Training Beyond High School Pays Off

V. Region Has Failed At Child Care 67% of mothers with children under 18 are employed 63% of all women believe region has failed at child care

Childcare Impacts Women’s Workforce Participation Source: Women of Silicon Valley Survey

VI. Low-Wage Women One-fifth of women working full-time in Silicon Valley earn less than $25,000 each year.

Regional Reality Today

Low-Wage Jobs Are Growing, Held Disproportionately by Women High Wage Jobs (average pay $72,000) Low Wage Jobs (average pay $22,000) Engineering & Science Managers General Managers/Top Executives Electrical Engineers Computer Engineers Systems Analysts Computing Support Specialists General Office Clerks Receptionists & Information Clerks Salespersons, Retail Guards & Watch Guards Cashiers Janitors, Cleaners

Substantial Barriers to Career Advancement “Significant” Barriers to Career Advancement

Social Innovation Required Social Change Women’s Workforce Participation Economic Change New Economy Innovation

Six Commitments to Innovation #1 Redefine “success” as the whole life approach—work life, home life, community life

#2 Customize Work to Fit Our Lives “The new economy offers the opportunity to shape work to fit our lives, rather than our lives to fit our work. We would be mad to miss this chance.” Charles Handy, Author

#3 Make Women Full Partners in the Tech Revolution Stimulate girls’ interest in technology Create alternative pathways to tech careers Support women tech professionals, tech entrepreneurs Pioneer work environments where women succeed

#4 Reinvent Family Supports Aligned with New Realities “Creating family supports, such as child and elder care, is as fundamental to the new economy infrastructure as fiber optic cable and fast computers.” Linda Tarr Whelan, Center for Policy Alternatives

Six Commitments #5 Raise up women in low-wage positions, ensuring that their work pays and leads somewhere #6 Recreate civic life, for both men and women

We’ve Been Here Before….

Unfinished Business: Women in the Silicon Valley Economy