ACS calls for greater equality in ICT: Findings from the ACS Employment Survey reveal inequality risk for ICT sector

The 2012 ACS Employment survey of 2,250 ICT professionals from across a variety of industries found that 46.8 per cent of female respondents experienced some form of discrimination when applying for a job, and that 37.2 per cent of these respondents report the discrimination being based on their gender. In addition, of all respondents aged 55 or older, 35 per cent report being subjected to age-based discrimination during the hiring process.

ACS President Nick Tate said: “The nation’s $100 billion digital economy is creating huge opportunities, and by excluding whole sections of the workforce because of ignorance or prejudice, the ICT sector and society at large, risk missing out.

“The ACS has long championed the roles of diverse groups within ICT and we will be continue to promote the sector’s vibrant opportunities to all.”

• From all survey respondents 32.1 per cent reported having encountered some form of discrimination when applying for ICT positions. This figure rose to 46.8 per cent when isolated for female respondents only.  
• The positions of ICT Customer Support Officer and ICT Business Analyst were found to have the greatest proportion of female incumbents (40.9 per cent and 34.7 per cent respectively). The lowest proportion of female incumbents were reported in the ICT Support Engineer and Computer Network/Systems Engineer positions (3.7 per cent and 2.8 per cent respectively).
• Women in ICT roles were most often employed in the Insurance industry (27.3 per cent) and Research and Development (25 per cent). The lowest proportion of female ICT employees was found in the Food Beverage and Tobacco industry (3.8 per cent) and Computer Services industry (9.1 per cent).
• Of male respondents, 85 per cent were employed on a full-time basis (working 35 hours or more per week) compared to 81.6 per cent of female respondents; 6 per cent of female respondents were employed on a part-time basis compared to 1.9 per cent of males.
• Out of all survey respondents, 14.2 per cent reported having been discriminated against when applying for ICT positions based on their age.

Women employed in ICT also receive lower salaries, according to The 2012 ACS Remuneration Survey, which showed on average across the industry men earn 9.8 per cent more than women. While women enter the industry with comparative or slightly higher salaries, after three to five years the average salary for men is 5 per cent higher than that of women.

Dr Tate said: “There is not a single industry in Australia that does not suffer from some form of gender pay inequality but few are in as much need as ICT to tackle it head on. In Australia the number of females entering university has already surpassed that of males. In 2011 fifty seven per cent of students starting university are female[1] and this trend is expected to continue.

“The ACS is actively working to overcome the challenges of inequality. For example, the ACS Women’s board are actively engaged in promoting interests of women working in the sector as well as encouraging young women and girls to consider ICT as a viable, interesting and exciting career path. By providing mentorship, events and research focused on engaging more diverse pathways within the sector, we hope to help create an environment in which all ICT professionals, regardless of their gender, age and race, can succeed.”

The full findings from the 2012 ACS Employment survey will be officially released at the Young ICT Professionals Conference in Sydney on October 8-9.

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The Australian Computer Society (ACS) is the professional association for Australia’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. Over 20,000 ACS members work in business, education, government and the community. The Society exists to create the environment and provide the opportunities for members and partners to succeed. The ACS strives for ICT to be recognised as a driver of innovation in our society, relevant across all sectors, and to promote the formulation of effective policies on ICT and related matters.

Visit www.acs.org.au for more information.

About ACS Employment Survey Report

The Australian Computer Society Employment Survey Report is the seventh in the series providing detailed information on the employment outlook for ICT professionals in Australia based upon survey responses. Its aim is to assist ICT professionals; those contemplating a career in the industry, and other industry stakeholders, with a useful overview of employment conditions and attitudes in the profession. This report was analysed and written by the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists & Managers, Australia (APESMA) for the Australian Computer Society. The 2012 report provides a detailed analysis of the employment of nearly 2250 ICT professionals working in Australia.