Prague, 10 October 2023 – While women make up 18.9% of ICT specialists across the European Union, the Czech Republic lags significantly behind, with only 10.9% in such roles, the lowest share in the EU. Unlike most member states, where the proportion of women in ICT has grown over the past decade, the Czech Republic has shown no improvement. Ness Czech, a leading system integrator, is committed to addressing this disparity by actively promoting women’s careers in IT through targeted initiatives, flexibility, and training programs.
Women are particularly drawn to IT roles in areas such as testing and Business Intelligence, where technical skills are complemented by analytical and business expertise.
Breaking Barriers and Myths in IT Careers
At Ness Czech, women are highly represented in several key areas:
- 100% of project coordinator positions are held by women.
- Nearly half of the company’s testers are women.
- One-third of project and competence managers are women.
- Around 20% of consultants are women.
“We are working to increase the proportion of women in IT by addressing the stereotypes that persist around technical skills,” said Helena Římovská, HR Manager at Ness Czech. “For example, research by the European Institute for Gender Equality highlights how harmful stereotypes undermine women’s confidence in digital skills, limiting their participation in IT fields.”
Currently, one-third of Ness Czech employees are women, and women make up 50% of the company’s top management.
Flexibility and Loyalty in the Workplace
Flexible work options, including remote work, are especially attractive to women, allowing them to balance professional and personal responsibilities. “While men also take advantage of flexible arrangements, women tend to use these options more frequently and show greater long-term loyalty to their roles, especially if they stay with the company for at least two years,” added Římovská.
Entry Points to IT: Testing and Business Intelligence
For women new to IT, testing roles offer an accessible starting point. Business Intelligence (BI) roles, which combine technical and analytical skills, are also popular. “Many women in BI roles come from economics-focused academic backgrounds, but others succeed by completing intensive BI and SQL courses,” said Petra Andrlová, Talent Acquisition Lead at Ness Czech.
To support career transitions into IT, Ness Czech provides a structured onboarding program that covers technical and process knowledge in the first three months, supplemented by ongoing training, internal education, and coaching.
EU’s ICT Workforce Growth, But Gender Gap Persists
Across the EU, demand for ICT professionals remains high, with the number of specialists increasing by 57.8% over the past decade to 9.4 million. However, the share of women in ICT roles remains a challenge, even in leading economies. While Germany improved its share of women in ICT from 15.2% to 19.0% between 2012 and 2022, and Slovakia increased from 13.4% to 14.9%, the Czech Republic has seen no progress.
About Ness Czech and Ness Digital Engineering
Ness Czech, a leading system integrator and part of the international Ness Digital Engineering group, is one of the largest IT service providers in the Czech Republic. Since 1993, Ness Czech has been at the forefront of technological innovation, delivering services to major clients such as O2 Czech Republic, Komerční Banka, and ČÚZK. With offices in Prague, Brno, and Ostrava, Ness Czech employs over 260 professionals and reports annual revenues exceeding CZK 835 million.
Globally, Ness Digital Engineering provides advanced IT solutions, employing over 4,500 people across 11 innovation centers in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Media Contact
Kamil Pittner
Media Consultant, PRCOM
+420 604 241 482