I believe that the main reason for the gender inequality in hospitality technology is the unsatisfactory role played by both parents and educators in encouraging women’s interest in STEM and the technology sectors in hospitality and the economy as a whole.

I firmly believe that today’s gender inequality in the tech industry has nothing to do with machismo or gender discrimination, but everything to do with family upbringing, schooling and mass media. Recruiters in the tech industry are not evil, macho-friendly bigots: there are simply not enough female candidates!

A recent national analysis of 1.6 million elementary, high school and university students in the United States clearly shows that female students at all ages perform better in math and science than their male counterparts. In the United States, women earn 57% of all bachelor’s degrees, 59% of all master’s degrees and 53% of all doctoral degrees. Nevertheless:

• Only 12.4% of electrical engineering students are female.
• Only 18% of bachelor’s degrees in computer science are earned by women.
• Only 21.8% of engineering undergraduate students are women.
• Only 39% of MBA students in the country are female.

The result: women make up only 28% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. In the travel and hospitality industries, this percentage is much lower.

It all starts at home. How many parents have told their daughters that the national average salary for college graduates in the U.S. is $59,500, while for software developers it is $147,500? That’s more than double! How many high school educators and guidance counselors have pointed their students toward STEM majors and tech careers?

The role of the family is of paramount importance in shaping girls’ future interests and careers. Most interests in culture, literature and science begin early and are part of every girl’s upbringing. Believe me, as a father of two beautiful, highly educated daughters, I know this.

Max Starkov
Hospitality and online travel technology consultant and strategist

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