One of the industries struggling with significant bias and gender stereotypes is cybersecurity . This field plays an increasingly crucial role in our digital world and , as a result , offers many fulfilling career paths and opportunities . However , there are still significant barriers and misperceptions driving the belief that a career in cybersecurity is not for women . Barbara Maigret , Global Head of Sustainability and CSR , Fortinet , outlines key challenges , stereotypes and misconceptions and how these can be changed to create a more diverse and inclusive cybersecurity workforce .

One of the industries struggling with significant bias and gender stereotypes is cybersecurity . This field plays an increasingly crucial role in our digital world and , as a result , offers many fulfilling career paths and opportunities . However , there are still significant barriers and misperceptions driving the belief that a career in cybersecurity is not for women .

Women are underrepresented in cybersecurity

While women have been disproportionately impacted by pandemic-driven unemployment ( for example , one in four women reported job loss due to a lack of childcare-twice the rate of men ), the technology sector was less affected . This was mainly due to their being better prepared to pivot to remote work and flexible work models . As a result , according to a report by Deloitte Global , large global technology firms still managed to achieve “ nearly 33 % overall female representation in their workforces in 2022 , up slightly more than two percentage points from 2019 .” While such progress is good , the technology sector still has a long way to go compared to other industries . Outside

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