Author: TeresaPenafiel

Dismantling Tech's Gender Gap: A vision for the future

Dismantling Tech’s Gender Gap: A Vision for the Future

Posted on | by TeresaPenafiel | 7 Comments on Dismantling Tech’s Gender Gap: A Vision for the Future

Despite progress over the years, women remain underrepresented in the tech industry. As of 2022, only 28% of computing and engineering roles are held by women, notwithstanding the fact that women currently make up 47% of all employed adults in the US. Moreover, women hold only 27% of the CIO roles in the Fortune 500. In fact, the ratio of women to men in tech roles has actually decreased over the past 35 years, with half of women who enter the tech industry dropping out by age 35. The same study attributes the absence of gender gap in tech to lack of inclusivity. 

These statistics are concerning, but there is hope for a more equitable future in tech. 

Key Steps That Need To Be Taken To Dismantle Gender Divide In Tech

1. Addressing Biases in Recruitment and Hiring

One of the main reasons for the gender gap in tech is bias in recruitment and hiring. Studies have shown that both men and women are more likely to hire and promote men over women, even when they have identical qualifications. This bias can be unconscious, but it still leads to fewer opportunities for women in tech.

To address this issue, tech companies need to prioritize diversity and inclusion in their recruitment and hiring practices. This includes removing gendered language from job descriptions, implementing blind hiring practices, and ensuring that diverse candidates are included in the hiring process. Companies should also provide training for their recruiters and hiring managers on how to recognize and overcome unconscious bias.

At ITJ, we keep a constant training with our Talent Acquisition team to provide them with all the required tools to enable an unbiased recruitment process.

2. Providing Mentorship and Support

Mentorship opportunities can be highly beneficial for women in tech. Mentorship programs allow women to connect with experienced professionals in their field, learn new skills, and receive guidance on career advancement. 

Providing mentorship opportunities help women gain the necessary skills and confidence to succeed in their careers and break through the barriers that have traditionally prevented them from advancing in the industry.

At ITJ, we provide a catalog of tech talks and bootcamps addressed to women. In these mentorships they get the chance to learn from former successful women in their field and try new things in events for women by women.

3. Encourage Girls to Pursue STEM Education

One of the primary reasons for the gender gap in tech is the lack of representation of women in tech roles. Research has shown that girls tend to lose interest in STEM subjects as they progress through school. 

To address this, we need to encourage girls to pursue STEM education from a young age. This can be achieved by providing mentorship programs, hands-on learning experiences, and exposure to female role models in STEM fields. Encouraging girls to explore their interests in STEM can have a significant impact on their confidence and career aspirations.

At ITJ, we held an edition of STEMos Unidas, an in-house event inviting high school girls in Baja California to our state-of-the-art facilities to have a conversation with tech exponents in our industry to walk them through a career in tech as women. It is our goal to move stigma aside and let them know that they have everything it takes to pursue a STEM career if that is their desire.

4. Promote Inclusive Company Culture

An inclusive company culture is critical for promoting gender equality in the tech industry. Companies must create a safe and supportive work environment where women are treated with respect and are given equal opportunities. 

This includes promoting diversity and inclusion at all levels of the organization, implementing fair hiring practices, and providing opportunities for women to advance into leadership positions.

At ITJ, one of our core values as a company is that we believe talent is inclusive of all people. We foster inclusion in our workspace. As part of our community, we strive to promote diversity, respect and dignity for all employees while recruiting in an unbiased manner.

5. Promote Work-Life Balance

The tech industry has a reputation for being a high-pressure, demanding work environment. This can be particularly challenging for women, who may face additional responsibilities outside of work, such as caring for children or elderly family members. To promote gender equality in tech, companies need to prioritize work-life balance and provide flexible work arrangements that accommodate the needs of all employees.

Furthermore, flexible work arrangements, such as remote work or flexible hours, can be highly beneficial for women in tech. 

At ITJ, we offer a range of flexible work arrangements such as remote or hybrid word depending on the role for all people to feel comfortable and at ease.

6. Increase Female Representation in Leadership Positions

Women are underrepresented in leadership positions in the tech industry, which can perpetuate gender inequality. To address this, companies need to actively promote women into leadership roles and create pathways for career advancement.

It is also essential to ensure that women have access to mentorship and networking opportunities that can help them succeed in their careers.

At ITJ, we foster women equality in leadership roles and we have reached a 50-50 ratio of women and men in leadership positions within the company.

7. Address the Gender Pay Gap

The gender pay gap is a persistent problem in many industries, including tech. Women in tech earn less than their male counterparts, even when they have the same qualifications and experience. 

Companies need to address the gender pay gap by conducting regular salary audits, setting clear pay scales, and promoting transparency around salaries and compensation.

At ITJ, women and men are offered the same salary for the same job despite gender.

8. Partner with Women in Tech Organizations

There are many organizations dedicated to supporting women in tech. Companies can partner with these organizations to promote gender equality in the industry, sponsor events and initiatives, and provide funding for scholarships and other programs.

At ITJ we maintain these valuable partnerships very present in our day to day operations. We have alliances with Women Who Code, and Laboratoria.

9. Address Harassment and Discrimination

Harassment and discrimination are unfortunately all too common in the tech industry. To address this, companies need to take a zero-tolerance approach to any form of harassment or discrimination, including sexual harassment, racial discrimination, and other forms of bias. This means implementing clear policies and procedures for reporting and addressing complaints and creating a culture where harassment and discrimination are not tolerated.

At ITJ, discrimination or harassment is off-limits for every employee, and we take zero-tolerance measures in such cases.

10. Monitor and Measure Progress

Finally, it is important to monitor and measure progress in promoting gender equality in tech. This can be done by tracking the number of women in tech roles, monitoring promotion rates for women, and conducting regular surveys to assess employee satisfaction and engagement. By monitoring and measuring progress, companies can identify areas where they need to improve and make adjustments to their diversity and inclusion strategies.

At ITJ, we handle this progress seamlessly and have numbers tracked quarterly for women vs. men ratios in our company.

To sum up, the gender gap in tech is a persistent issue that needs to be addressed urgently to promote gender equality in the industry. Furthermore, the lack of gender equality in the tech industry not only affects women’s career opportunities but also limits innovation and technological advancement.

To dismantle the gender divide in tech, companies need to address unconscious bias, create more opportunities for women, encourage girls to pursue tech careers, offer flexible work arrangements, and monitor and measure progress. By taking these key steps, we can promote gender equality in the tech industry and create a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

Contact us at ITJ to learn more about how you can dismantle tech’s divide too.

About ITJ

ITJ is devoted to serving fast-growing and high-value market sectors, particularly the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), working with innovative medical device companies looking to improve people’s lives. With a unique BOT (build, operate, and transfer) model that sources only the best digital talent available, ITJ enables companies in the US to create technology centers of excellence in Mexico and LatAm. For more information, visit www.itj.com.

Top Mexico Nearshoring destinations for software engineering 2023

Top Nearshoring Destinations for Software Engineering in 2023

Posted on | by TeresaPenafiel | 3 Comments on Top Nearshoring Destinations for Software Engineering in 2023

The field of nearshore software engineering is always changing. It’s critical to comprehend the trends that will drive the market in 2023 if you want to keep one step ahead of the competition, especially when considering a nearshore destination.

The nearshoring of jobs to other nations has received a lot of attention. According to a recent report by Grand View Research, the global nearshoring market size is expected to reach 525.2 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR 9.4% from 2023 to 2030. The survey also discovered that nearshoring is most common in the manufacturing, healthcare, and IT services sectors.

And for US companies, the obvious choice is Mexico. Why?

Mexico’s Economy Overview

Mexico is at the top of Latin America’s rankings for innovation, business accessibility, and competitiveness. The Mexican government started a series of changes in the middle of the 2000s to promote competition and expand the nation’s energy and telecoms markets.

Telecommunications expenses have decreased significantly as a result, and service accessibility has grown, providing the groundwork for a developing digital economy. Furthermore, denationalization of the energy industry has boosted foreign investment, raised production, and sped up the transition to renewable energy sources. INADEM (the national institute for the entrepreneur) put government funding in a different project to kick-start the venture capital sector.

US firms are well-protected in Mexico with regard to patents and other intellectual property rights. These efforts were strengthened even further with the assistance of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that Mexico has with other nations with the signing of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The USMCA has a number of provisions that modernize the mechanisms for protecting and enforcing intellectual property (IPR) in Mexico, including registration, preservation, and enforcement systems. The agreement guarantees that rights holders in the United States will obtain IP protection equal to that found in the United States, even though the regulatory institutions that oversee IPR in Mexico differ from those in the United States.

Moreover, findings reveal that during the majority of the years considered, nations like Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Panama, and Cuba have held the top spots in the quality-of-inventions rankings. Yet, it is clear that Mexico contributes significantly to the region’s patents and has held the top spot in the overall ranking for nine out of the twenty years of the study. Also, out of the seventeen nations, the nation has never fallen below third rank since 2000.

So, where do most US-based IT companies primarily operate?

Best Nearshoring Destinations for IT Services in Mexico

In 2023, there are several top nearshoring destinations for software engineering that stand out from the rest, based on factors such as quality of talent, cost-effectiveness, and cultural alignment. Here we will explore the top three nearshoring destinations for software engineering in 2023:

1. Tijuana, Baja California

The magnitude of investment in Tijuana, Ensenada, and Mexicali, which takes advantage of the region’s proximity to San Diego and California, is what distinguishes Baja California from other regions. This has made it possible for the Cali-Baja region, as it is known locally, to have a vibrant cross-border business.

Tijuana is quickly emerging as a top nearshoring destination for software development in 2023. According to a recent report by Tholons, Tijuana is ranked among the top 50 digital nations in the world, ahead of other well-known nearshoring destinations like Costa Rica and Chile. The city boasts a strong technical talent pool, with a growing number of graduates from local universities specializing in computer science and engineering. In addition, top-tier educational institutions are well-known for their software engineering programs and high achievement rankings, plus the state has 32 universities offering 103 professional degrees. 

One of the key advantages of nearshoring to Tijuana is cost-effectiveness. The cost of living in Tijuana is significantly lower than in major U.S. cities like San Diego, which is just 20 miles away. This means that companies can benefit from lower costs of living and costs of offices while still maintaining a close proximity to their operations in the United States. In addition, the Mexican government offers several tax incentives to companies that set up operations in the country, including a reduced corporate tax rate for software engineering companies.

Another advantage of nearshoring to Tijuana is its growing reputation as a hub for innovation and technology. In recent years, the city has seen a surge in the number of tech startups and incubators, which has led to a more dynamic and entrepreneurial culture. This, combined with the strong technical talent pool, makes Tijuana an attractive destination for companies looking to stay on the cutting edge of innovation in software engineering.

2. Guadalajara, Jalisco

Jalisco is the fourth-largest economy in Mexico after Mexico City, the State of Mexico, and Nuevo Leon. The state shows strong rankings for innovative companies and startups, trademark and patent applications. Furthermore, 40% of Mexico’s IT firms are located in the manufacturing-heavy state of Jalisco, which is also a home to businesses that specialize in BPOs, software engineering, and other leading industries.

In Guadalajara, there are more than 1,000 high-tech companies supporting 150,000 jobs, plus significant clusters in the fields of technology, e-commerce, financial services, healthcare, and transportation. Moreover, Guadalajara, in contrast to other regions in Mexico, has a strong R&D foundation.

The government, universities and industries have consistently aligned and collaborated to create projects like Consejo Jalisco 4.0, the Jalisco Institute of Information Technology (IJALTI), the Jalisco State Council of Science and Technology (COECYTJAL). These organizations had helped to attract international investment and companies to Guadalajara, despite the location far from the US border.

3. El Bajío, Central Region of Mexico

The Bajío region in central Mexico provides intriguing potential while not being as far along in its efforts to create startup and innovation ecosystems. This region includes parts of the states of Zacatecas and Jalisco as well as all or part of the following four states: Aguascalientes, San Luis Potos, Guanajuato, and Querétaro, which is a significant manufacturing hub that has had stronger growth than much of Mexico.

Particularly among the Mexican states, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, and Querétaro have high levels of economic competitiveness. The region has emerged in recent decades as one of the top investment destinations for foreign capital, second only to the northern border states, particularly in the automotive and aerospace industries. A sizable IT sector is expanding thanks to a robust university and public technology research infrastructure.

To sum up, nearshoring is a fantastic opportunity for US companies to continue their operations in a place with vast talent pools, with cost-effectiveness, same time zone, and cultural proximity. Mexico is becoming a more popular location for nearshoring, and this growth is expected to continue in 2023. You just have to choose your nearshoring destination.

Contact us at ITJ to learn more about how we can make that happen.

About ITJ

ITJ is devoted to serving fast-growing and high-value market sectors, particularly the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), working with innovative medical device companies looking to improve people’s lives. With a unique BOT (build, operate, and transfer) model that sources only the best digital talent available, ITJ enables companies in the US to create technology centers of excellence in Mexico. For more information, visit www.itj.com.

Software engineering myths vs realities

Software Engineering: Myths vs. Realities

Posted on | by TeresaPenafiel | 3 Comments on Software Engineering: Myths vs. Realities

Being a software engineer is one of the most rewarding and challenging careers in the world. If you’re considering a job in software, do you worry that you won’t be a good fit for the field? Perhaps you’re concerned about the industry’s demand and requirements of such a role.

For instance, as technology continues to play a crucial role in practically every aspect of modern life, the demand for software engineers has been gradually rising in recent years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of software engineers is projected to grow 21% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. This growth is driven by the increasing use of software in business, healthcare, and other industries, as well as the need for mobile apps, cybersecurity, and cloud computing.

Now that you know that you are needed in this field, there may be many preconceived notions and misconceptions related to careers in software engineering out there. Here we are pointing them out so you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.

Myths vs. Realities of pursuing a software engineering career

Myth #1: Being a software engineer is just about writing code all day

While coding is a vital part of a software engineer’s job, it is just one of the many responsibilities they have. Software engineers work with project managers, stakeholders, and other team members to understand requirements and goals, test and debug code, and constantly learn about new technologies and software engineering practices. According to this study, the average software engineer spends only 35% of their time writing code.

Myth #2: Software engineering is a solitary job

Software engineers work in teams and collaborate with others regularly. They communicate with project managers, stakeholders, and other team members to ensure that the final product meets the business’s and its users’ needs. Furthermore, they work with other software engineers to review code, troubleshoot problems, and share knowledge and best practices.

Myth #3: All software engineers are the same

Software engineers come from a variety of backgrounds and have different skill sets and areas of expertise. Some software engineers specialize in front-end development, while others specialize in back-end development or data science. Some engineers are experienced in specific programming languages or technologies, while others have a broad range of skills and experience.

Myth #4: Software engineering is an easy job

Software engineering can be quite challenging. Software engineers must be able to think critically, solve problems, and write efficient and effective code. They must also be able to adapt to new technologies and software engineering practices, as the field is constantly evolving. In addition, software engineers must be able to work well under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

Myth #5: Software engineers require a degree

You don’t need a college degree to begin a career in software engineering. It’s no longer required to have a computer science degree to succeed in this industry because there are so many other ways to learn how to code.

There are various methods to start your career in coding, whether you enroll in a coding course, teach yourself, or begin an apprenticeship.

To sum everything up, working as a software engineer is a lucrative and difficult job that entails much more than just creating code. It needs collaboration, critical thinking, flexibility, and a desire to continuously learn and advance. 

Software engineering is a dynamic and fascinating profession that offers many prospects for both personal and professional advancement, despite the fact that there may be some misconceptions about it.

If you’ve been thinking about diving into this world, or are already learning to code, visit https://bit.ly/3hAgkth. There you will find open positions, courses, and bootcamps for you to keep on track towards your goal.

About ITJ

ITJ is devoted to serving fast-growing and high-value market sectors, particularly the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), working with innovative medical device companies looking to improve people’s lives. With a unique BOT (build, operate, and transfer) model that sources only the best digital talent available, ITJ enables companies in the US to create technology centers of excellence in Mexico. For more information, visit www.itj.com.