Despite the value of an MCSE or similar industry qualification, 88% of UK women wouldn't consider a career in technology, according to research carried out by Firebrand Training. They see the industry as being ‘boring' and ‘uninspiring', demanding extensive technical training, especially for courses such as Microsoft's MCSE, MCSA or MCP accreditations, the de facto Microsoft certifications.

The survey of 150 recent female graduates [1], showed that 132 would choose a job in management consultancy, marketing or teaching as their first or second choice. Only six of those polled would consider IT, and none had even heard of the MCSE. Those questioned said that they don't find a career in technology attractive because there is no call for skills such as team working, strategic thinking or creativity. Instead, the belief is that a role in IT is dull and monotonous, requiring only the highly technical knowledge, such as of Server Administrators working with Windows Server 2003 or 2008.

"The general perception that an IT career cannot not live up to women's professional expectations is not true," said Robert Chapman, co-founder of Firebrand Training.

"The industry is missing out on an enormous pool of talent because it is not doing enough to uncover the hidden truth of what a tech career is really like," he continued. "Positions such as project manager demand strong teamworking and management capabilities, a technology consultant requires highly strategic thinking, while a programmer must have creative skills. These are all areas in which women have continually proved their strength."

"The onus is on companies to reverse this problem and raise awareness of what a job in IT really involves. The industry is at the forefront of British business, and a number of women have found a career in this space to be exciting and challenging."

[1] Females who have graduated since June 1999