The number of female Chief Information Officers (CIOs) has declined from 26 percent in 2008 to 21 percent today, but this trend is unlikely to continue in the future, according to research done by Dr. Wayne Brown, founder of the Center for Higher Education CIO Studies.
Although the number of female CIOs has been declining, there are some very positive indications for the future in Dr. Brown’s research studies on CIOs, which he has been conducting since 2003.
The CIO is the top technology person in an organization. Typically, he or she reports directly to the CEO and is responsible for making sure technology supports organizational goals.
The future growth of female CIOs looks very strong, according to Brown. One important fact from the Center for Higher Education CIO Studies is that the number of women in the position of tech leader, which is the next organizational level down from the CIO, has risen from 33 percent to 40 percent in the last five years. The CIOs of tomorrow will come primarily from the pool of TLs today.
In addition to leading traditional businesses, CIOs will be playing an increasingly significant role in leading nonprofit organizations, according to Michael Enos, Chief Technology Officer of Second Harvest Food Bank. Enos said the CIO plays an important role in ensuring that employees at nonprofits use technology tools to further the “strategic direction of the organization.”
One factor that will increase the number of female CIOs is that less women are retiring from their current positions as Chief Information Officers. Dr. Brown’s research found that less than half (47 percent) of current female CIOs plan to retire in the next 10 years. This is a record low number and is actually lower than the number of male CIOs who plan to retire.
Women are using education to prepare themselves to move into these positions in record numbers. The number of female tech leaders with advanced degrees has risen to 74% this year, according to an InformationWeek article — 12%percent more than the 62% of male TLs. Female tech leaders are also more likely to have a bachelor’s degree than male tech leaders. The five most common majors for CIOs are technology, business, leadership, education and administration.
No Comment