Over 25 per cent of the three million professionals employed by the Indian IT and ITeS industry across the country are women. Also, 5% of senior positions within the sector are occupied by women, according to the IT and ITeS Industry Association of Andhra Pradesh (ITsAP).
“The sector today employs more than 25 per cent women and possibly is higher than any other industry in the country,” said V Rajanna, President, ITsAP and Regional Head, TCS Hyderabad.
The industry had been struggling with a high percentage of women dropouts, particularly, after the middle level. To contain the situation, he stressed the need to conduct programmes that can assist women employees in showcasing avenues that could help them take on higher responsibilities and grow within their organisations.
The ITsAP is currently organising a highly-valued leadership workshop series for women leaders, managers from the IT and ITeS sector who are currently in the lead and middle level roles. “This workshop aims to not only bridge the wide gap between the number of women in the workforce and those in senior positions, but also to sensitise them and widen their business horizon to take up challenges in senior roles,” said Rajanna.
He also emphasised the need for programmes that can offer pragmatic learning objects by senior leaders from various companies. Such programmes are expected to equip potential women leaders with key leadership traits such as effective team management, conflict resolution, globalisation challenges and possible solutions, customer experience and management.