Resources for Women in Tech: Connections and communities to help propel your career
By Jordan Marinkovich
Happy Women’s History Month!
Did you know that women-led teams generate a 35% return on investment than all-male teams? Yet, companies founded solely by women were only awarded 2% of venture capital investment in startups in the U.S. in 2021. And, women only make up about 28% of the tech industry workforce and only 15% of engineering jobs are held by women.
The point is… Women are amazing, and we need more help getting women in technology and supporting our female founders. We’ve compiled a list of some great local resources to help women of all ages bridge the gap. Afterall, the future is female!
American Association of University Women (AAUW) North Hills Pittsburgh (NHP): The AAUW NHP Branch was founded in 1970 by a group of local women who wanted to continue their intellectual growth and further the advancement of women and girls. NHP membership is 80-strong and we continue to further the cause. NHP welcomes members from all backgrounds who care about issues that are critical to women and girls. The only requirement for membership is the equivalent of an associate degree or higher.
Catalyst Connection–Women in Leadership Series: Catalyst Connection has created the Women in Leadership program as an opportunity to bring women in manufacturing together through a peer-to-peer community. Women in Leadership will help women already in leadership positions, or those working towards one, overcome the many barriers that often stand in their way to the top. Throughout this journey, high energy sessions will arm participants with actionable strategies that will help them accelerate their careers, improve their skills, and gain recognition in the workplace. Participants will benefit greatly from networking with and learning from one another.
Chatham University–Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship: The Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Chatham University (CWE) creates economic opportunities through entrepreneurial counseling, education and training. CWE designs and implements programs and services that are targeted to underserved communities and the challenges they face in starting, growing, and succeeding in business. The programs are structured to meet the needs of regional communities and are offered with the assistance and support of community organizations, at no or minimal cost to the participants. CWE serves entrepreneurs within the 11 counties surrounding Pittsburgh, PA.
GetWitIT: The getWITit mission is to build a supportive environment where women of all backgrounds flourish in technology and to create opportunities for women to inspire others. For the last several decades, women have been greatly under-represented among the teams and leaders bringing new technologies to market. This has led to biased design in new technologies, even though women are among half of the population.
Girls of Steel: Girls of Steel empowers everyone, especially women and girls, to believe they are capable of success in STEM. The program is more than a robotics team; their mission goes past building robots for competitions. While building robots, they’re building futures. Striving to help to close the gender gap in STEM by empowering more females in STEM, they work hard to give girls leadership, teamwork, and communication skills in addition to technical skills like electronics, machining, and programming that will last far beyond their high school years.
Miror: Founded by Cassie Guerin, Miror hosts Gatherings that are safe spaces between facilitators and friends. It provides the opportunity to connect with people who know what you’re going through and want to talk about it. Their facilitators create room to learn from different experiences and explore your own. Stay up to date on Gatherings in your area by checking here.
Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse (PCCR): PCCR inspires creativity, conservation, and community engagement through reuse. PCCR operates a non-traditional art supply shop located at the intersection of Wilkinsburg, Homewood, and Point Breeze, where people can donate used art and craft supplies, as well as shop for these unique items all in the same location. They also facilitate hands-on creative programming that educates the public about the benefits of reuse for the environment, community, and self. PCCR sees reuse as a vehicle for boosting self-confidence, learning new skills, and creating opportunity for all as we work to support and inspire a healthy and creative community.
PROTOTYPE PGH: Their mission is to build gender and racial equity in tech and entrepreneurship by providing affordable access to high tech tools and equipment, offering workshops that prioritize the experiences of women, and cultivating a gender-inclusive professional support network.
Society of Women Engineers (SWE): For more than seven decades, SWE’s 40,000 and growing members have given women engineers a unique place and voice within the engineering industry.
The Salon: Something was missing in Pittsburgh — A place for women to grow and be seen together. That’s why The Salon was started. It was a reaction to the absence of a connecting piece: something that could tie together all of the beautiful, true, and brilliant things that women around Pittsburgh were doing. Check out their events section to learn more!
Women In Bio: The WIB-Pittsburgh chapter is working to support recognized and emerging women leaders in the biosciences industry of Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, and West Virginia. Their mission is to promote knowledge sharing among women, impact regional economic growth, and stimulate empowerment among women leaders. We believe that women have the unique potential for improving companies’ strategic positions and growth by offering intelligence, spirit, leadership, and vision to the biotech, pharmaceutical, and healthcare industries. WIB-Pittsburgh promotes entrepreneurship, innovation, education, and mentorship among women across our region.
Women in Manufacturing: The Women in Manufacturing (WiM) Western Pennsylvania Chapter has an active base of members in and around Western Pennsylvania. Chapters provide excellent opportunities for you to expand your local network, build valuable business relationships, and enjoy industry-related programming.
WIT Pgh: Women In Tech PGH was founded in 2017 to help create a space in both physical and digital environments where all women could connect, share, and learn about each other’s experiences in the industry. In 2020 it expanded into a formal nonprofit where it took on a new mission offering access to in-demand skill building and career pivots through scholarships and intimate cohort-based learning. Today we continue to offer holistic approaches to our community by integrating mindfulness into everything we do.
If you know of an organization that should be added to this list, please let us know! Email us at info@innovationworks.org
