Women in Information Technology in Sri Lanka: Careers and Challenges

Abstract

Information Technology (IT) is an important industry for many countries, including Sri Lanka. Women represent approximately one-quarter of the Sri Lankan IT workforce. This chapter examines how career-relevant interest towards IT was formed among the IT professionals and how some women selected IT as an academic field and then as their career. It discusses their experience of work, the challenges they face in their career and their performance as women in this male-dominated industry. Effect of contextual and environmental factors such as gender role stereotyping beliefs, social support, employer support were seen to play an important role in the formation of interest and goal choice, as well as career performance. Women's inability to update their knowledge due to time/family commitment as well as gender stereotyping beliefs was another major challenge in their career and an influence on their career choices in the IT field.