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How SeisWare is working towards gender equity in the tech industry

Published on July 19, 2023

SeisWare’s Gender Equity

How SeisWare is working towards gender equity in the tech industry 

At SeisWare, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are important values and key drivers of innovation and growth. We are committed to creating a work environment where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or any other aspect of their identity. 

As part of our DEI strategy, we have been focusing on supporting women in the tech workspace, especially in technical roles such as software development and geoscience. We know that women are underrepresented in these fields, both in Alberta and globally, and we want to change that. 

How we compare to the industry benchmarks 

One of the first steps we took was to compile company statistics on the gender breakdown of our employees, by location, role, and level. We then compared these numbers to the industry benchmarks for Alberta and the big tech players. 

The charts below show our results: 

Work roles in global tech companies
Percentage of women employees in global tech companies by total workforce, technical roles, and leadership roles in 2021. (Data for technical roles at Amazon is not availble.)
Source: Compilation of self-reported company data by ICTC, 2022.
Percentage of woman working in various roles working at SeisWare. 40.6% Total workforce, 33.3% in tech roles, and 37.5% in leadership roles
Percentage of females working at SeisWare compared to males and within specific roles.

As you can see, we are doing well with respect to female representation in our office, in tech roles, and in leadership. We are above or close to the average for the tech industry and the big tech players. However, we also recognize that there is room for improvement and that we cannot be complacent. 

How we are addressing the talent pipeline gap 

Another step we took was to look at our recruitment candidate pool over the past two years for entry level technology roles. We wanted to see how many female candidates applied for these positions and how that compared to the Alberta post-secondary female enrollment in STEM fields. 

This is where we found a significant gap. According to Statistics Canada, in 2020/2021 there was 27.9% female enrollment in math and computer and information sciences and 26% female enrollment in architecture, engineering and related technologies in Alberta post-secondary institutions. These are the fields where we would expect to find most of our software development and geoscience candidates. 

However, our female candidate pool for tech roles over the past two years was only 18%. It was even lower for software development roles, at 10%. This means that we are missing out on a lot of potential talent and diversity. 

That’s why we have been connecting and engaging with local and national organizations that support women in tech. These organizations provide us with valuable insights, resources and networks to help us understand how to attract more female talent in the recruitment phase. 

They also offer opportunities for our current female employees to network, mentor and learn from other women in the tech industry. We believe that by fostering a culture of learning and development, we can help our employees grow their skills, confidence, and career prospects. 

How we are creating an inclusive work environment 

Beyond the numbers, SeisWare is a company that values its people and their well-being. We have a flexible work policy that allows our employees to balance their personal and professional lives, and we have a supportive leadership team that listens to feedback and empowers employees to make decisions. We also have a collaborative culture that celebrates diversity of thought and perspective. 

SeisWare also has various initiatives and events that promote DEI awareness, education and action within our company. For example: 

  • SeisWare staff discuss issues, share best practices, and plan activities related to DEI. 
  • We have a book club that reads books on various topics.  
  • We have a social committee that organizes fun events and activities to do as a team. 

These are some of the ways we are creating an inclusive work environment where everyone can thrive. 

How you can join us 

We are always looking for talented and passionate people to join our team. If you are interested in working with us, please check out our careers page and apply online. We would love to hear from you. 

We are also open to collaborating with other organizations and partners that share our vision of creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive tech industry. If you have ideas or suggestions on how we can work together, please contact us. We would love to chat with you. 

Let’s grow together! If this post resonated with you, please feel free to share it with your network. And don’t forget to follow us on social media for more updates on what we are doing at SeisWare. 

Together, we can make a difference.  

 

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