In a recent article in Analytics Insight, IT author Apoorva Bellapu gives some helpful advice on how to increase women’s participation in robotics…

No second thoughts to the fact that robotics is one of the most sought-after career opportunities across the globe.

In addition to being one of the hottest jobs, this field holds the potential of transforming the lives of people for the better. Contrary to popular belief, getting into this magnanimous field of robotics doesn’t require you to have a degree in robotics or engineering, though having one is always preferred. How skilled you are and the kind of determination you hold is way more important.

Robotics is a great career path to choose – not just from the salary point of view but also from the perspective of career growth. Despite all this, what continues to remain an area of concern is that the number of women working in this field is negligible.

Without a doubt, robotics is dominated by men workforce. The lack of women’s participation in science-related fields despite the fact that the field has seen astronomical growth over the years is what needs to be addressed to.

What can be done to increase women’s participation in robotics and other science-related fields?

Women tend to underestimate themselves. In reality, they can be way more risk-averse than men. Women don’t realize their potential and despite being highly qualified do not consider choosing this path.

• Today, understanding what makes women not consider technology-related fields as an ideal career opportunity is the need of the hour. Making them aware of what the future would like if choosing robotics as a career could ease things out to some extent.
• If the very thought of how do robots work, what goes into their making, how to design a robot, etc. interests you, then you shouldn’t hesitate in exploring this field in depth. Research as much as you can and the best way to bring all the knowledge that you’ve gained to life, create a small robot on your own. There are tons of videos and courses available that’ll enable you to get started.
• There could be a case wherein the model you developed isn’t functional. In that case, you need not get disheartened. When you are in the interview room, you could take your model and ask the panel what went wrong. How curious you are in knowing about robotics increases your chance of getting hired.
• Not everything that you possess can be put on paper in the form of a resume. How good you are as far as communication is concerned, how critically can you think, how proactive you are, etc. are a few areas where you can work on. The interviewers would be more than happy to hire a woman who is excellent with technical skills but is a package of relevant soft skills as well.
• Women who have already carved a niche for themselves in this field need to come out and address women who are hesitating from choosing robotics as their career path. It is now time that women employees with good experience in robotics pose to be role models for others. The influence that a role model has on budding professionals needs no special mention. Hence, women employees holding interactive sessions with other women who want to create a mark in robotics can do wonders. This will not only serve to be a motivation for them but will also be able to address all their doubts, concerns, if any.
• Encouraging women to take up this career is probably the most effective of all the methods. Providing them with all the required resources, a platform to begin with, and making them believe that whatever they are up to will yield fruitful results for sure can turn out to be a game-changer altogether.

Though robotics as a career is full of opportunities and is high in demand, the number of women who seem to be inclined to this field is surprisingly less. It is now time that people understand that this career is open to everyone and that gender shouldn’t be a hurdle.