In the Salary and Market Trend 2017 Survey conducted by the UK Association of Project Management (APM), approximately 30% of the respondents were women. I continually ask myself: why is the project management profession not equally represented by both men and women?
I can offer no simple answer for how to fix this imbalance. However, these kind of figures that we commonly see showing the variance of men and women in the project management workplace highlight for me the importance of encouraging women to consider project management as a career path. If they are already in the profession, I wish for women to continue to see their career choice as one that offers opportunity, advancement, success and satisfaction.
Is the lack of gender balance in the profession due to a lack of visibility of what women have achieved as project managers?
It is time to shine an even brighter light on women in the project management industry.
To celebrate International Women’s Day for 2018, I will be sharing the profiles and stories of some incredible women who have flourished in their project management careers. May they inspire you and the women around you to kick goals in the world of project management.
With the network of support and knowledge that I share with you, I hope that one day soon we will see very different survey results which close the “traditional” gap between men and women in project management.
What is happening?
My ‘Celebrating Women in Project Management’ series will run for 50 fantastic days! Commencing today, I will be featuring profiles of women who work in the field of project management to celebrate their achievements. The profiles of these fabulous women will be published on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You will be able to follow these inspiring stories and join in with the conversation by using #CelebratingWomenInProjectManagement.
Women of all skill levels are encouraged to share their own profiles online using the above hashtag to join in on this great initiative. By sharing your own profile, you will become apart of this powerful network and empower other women around you to feel proud of their own achievements.
How do I get involved?
All you need to do to get involved is complete this online form. Women of all ages and experience levels are welcome to submit their profiles via this form to be published through our website and social media channels. The more diverse the range of profiles, the more visible our achievements will be. If you’re a woman working in project management, I want to hear from you!
Encourage Other Women to Share Their Achievements
Help us celebrate women in project management by encouraging your peers and colleagues to submit their profiles.
For some, putting their hand up and submitting their profile will feel challenging or intimidating. It is time for women to overcome their feelings of discomfort in self promotion. Only by using our voice will we be heard for new opportunities to come knocking. By supporting and encouraging our friends and peers to contribute their stories, we are helping to increase the awareness of our achievements and helping others to value their own contribution in project management.
Let’s shine a brighter light on all of the incredible women who surround us in the world of project management.
I look forward to seeing your name in the submitted profiles to share with our network online. It’s time to celebrate!
