market structure

VALUING DIVERSITY


This year, an incredible 800,000 skilled technology jobs in the United States will go unfilled because there are not enough qualified people to fill them. This shortage is expected to worsen over the next few years as the demand for information technology workers across the spectrum of business and government continues to expand rapidly. The consequences for the U.S. economy are significant. By one count, the shortfall in high-tech workers may cost as much as $4 billion per year in lost production.
The same situation exists at almost every company in the high-tech industry -- demand exceeds supply. For example, Microsoft hired 9,700 new employees last year, yet still has openings for 5,600 people in technical jobs.
Although there is no quick fix, leaders in the high-tech industry, the academic community and government believe that continuing to expand diversity outreach efforts is a critical step toward addressing the shortage of skilled workers. Recently, the Congressional Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering and Technology Development issued a report, which stated: "If women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities were represented in the U.S. science, engineering and technology workforce in parity with their percentages in the total workforce population, this shortage could largely be ameliorated."
A culturally diverse workforce provides companies with better decision-making based on multiple perspectives and varied approaches to product development. Not all cultures, for example, use technology in the same way. Understanding and factoring in such differences will enable companies to become more competitive in the global economy.
According to the most recent information available, women represented only 19 percent of science, engineering and technology workers in 1997, compared with their nearly 46 percent representation in the U.S. workforce as a whole. African Americans and Hispanics each made up about 3 percent of the science, engineering and technology workforce, while their representation in the workforce as a whole was 11 percent and 10 percent respectively. And according to other research, people with disabilities comprised 14 percent of the U.S. workforce but only 6 percent were in technical fields. One positive trend is representation of Asians in the technology workforce.
Although significant effort has been put into increasing educational opportunities for women and minorities in technical fields during the past quarter century, the "pipeline" is far from overflowing. Women, African Americans and Hispanics are still underrepresented among people earning computer and information science degrees.
There are many factors that experts believe contribute to these imbalances. These include lack of access to computer-related education and equipment among underrepresented groups, few role models for women and minorities among teachers and professionals in science and engineering fields, and a perception of the IT industry as "uncool" and the domain of some kind of highly educated technical elite.
Diversity is one of the core values that define Microsoft's business practices and operating philosophy. To that end, Microsoft is working with a wide range of schools and organizations to increase technology training and educational opportunities for women and minorities. These efforts include:
* More than $90 million in grants, software and scholarships to colleges and universities serving African-American, Hispanic and Native American populations;
* $6 million in grants to the Minority and Women's Technical Scholarship program;
* Working Connections, a $40 million effort to help disadvantaged people prepare for information technology jobs at community colleges.
* In addition to our focus on developing technologies that enable people with disabilities, Microsoft is a cofounder of the Able to Work Consortium, which is dedicated to increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Microsoft also helped form the Professional Technical Diversity Network, a partnership with other corporations and minority professional organizations that focuses on effective networking and recruitment to support career development in technical disciplines. The company also recruits from among more than 20 minority-oriented professional organizations.
While we are proud of the efforts that we and other high-tech companies have made in recent years, there is clearly more work that the IT industry, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and government must do to ensure full and equitable participation of all Americans in science, engineering and technology fields, irrespective of gender, race, sexual orientation or disability. It is not only the right thing to do -- it is imperative if America is to maintain its technology-driven economy and its economic and intellectual preeminence.
One in a series of essays on technology and its impact on society. More information is available at microsoft.com/issues.