Career Choice and Gendered Perceptions of IT – A Nexus Analytic Inquiry

Abstract

Girls’ disinterest in Information Technology (IT) careers is a persisting problem. We wanted to examine girls’ perceptions of the IT field as well as factors shaping their career choices, to find ways girls might see IT/Information Systems careers as more interesting. For this purpose, we interviewed Finnish senior high school students, as senior high school is the last opportunity to influence girls’ career choice in higher education. In addition, we asked senior high school IT teachers about IT education and their perceptions of students’ relations to IT. Using nexus analysis as a sensitizing device, we focused on various discourses circulating around, different actors and their relations, as well as experience and background related matters that affect girls’ career choice. Surprisingly gendered understandings of the IT field and career choices were still prevalent among the studied young people, and this supports educational and occupational segregation.