Women in Automation Program 2023

During the past three years, women’s representation within the automation industry has grown by an average of 3,5 % every year, with a 33% incremental YoY growth in the percentage alone. (Representation figures: 2020–18%, 2021–21%, 2022–25%. Source: The State of the RPA Developer Survey 2020, 2021,2022)

These figures prove that there is a momentum in bringing women to the spotlight in all areas connected to automation, and that their professional potential in the field opens up possibilities to be nurtured.

This year, UiPath Community kept up this momentum, by launching the Women in Automation program. A dedicated program for aspiring and experienced women developers held close to ‌International Women’s Day. Throughout March 9 to 31, the program rolled out 21 events. ‌Among featured sessions we mention, a women leaders inspirational panel, four training sessions, and sixteen mentoring groups focusing on both technical skills and soft skills in the industry. The program brought together UiPath customers, partners, MVPs, and our own colleagues, to showcase and support women’s presence in automation.

The women leaders panel was a significant highlight of the event, providing a platform for successful women leaders to share their experiences and insights on navigating the tech industry. The panelists shared their stories and views on various topics such as career growth, leadership, and work-life balance. The panel discussion was enlightening and empowering, inspiring women to aim for automation upskilling, leadership roles and providing tips for navigating the tech industry. Here are our featured panelists who took on the task of sharing and leading by example.

The automation field doesn't have a one-size-fits-all requirement for entry. Our panelists had different journeys into automation, with some being intentional and others entering the automation field by chance or unexpectedly. However, all the panelists had valuable insights to share.

According to Paula, regardless of one's background or experience, what's crucial is having a sense of curiosity and being nimble and flexible as the field continues to evolve and expand. These qualities will allow individuals to navigate the ever-changing automation landscape and keep pace with the latest trends and technologies. If more incentives are needed, then looking up the average salary for RPA developers in their region on Glassdoor might just convince more women to take on this career path.

“This isn’t a practice you need to have a traditional college degree for. That’s the other beauty about intelligent automation, it's greatly democratized in the sense that if you have trouble with school, if you’re dyslexic, if college just isn’t for you, you can still have a very successful, lucrative career in intelligent automation.” Susanna spoke a lot on the ‘man up’ tendency that women face in the workplace, and about the role that both regional and company culture may play in dissolving this expectation and the added stress that comes with it:

“ I also think that it’s a company culture, when it comes to having to man up and having a company culture that is maybe predominantly male - having role models, having leaders that are predominantly male, also brings a different story. In the Nordics what we can see, for example: UiPath is led by women, we have Roboyo Nordics – the CEO is a woman, and also our biggest competitor is a woman. So here, within the automation space, we have a lot of women role models.”

Dana emphasized the significance of not allowing the fear of unfamiliarity to hinder one’s growth: “Don’t be afraid to join the conversation. In automation there is a place for everyone, regardless of background, degree, or place in life. The opportunity is there if you want to take it. “ Vinita's background was in technology, specifically in automation architecture. As she interacted more with stakeholders and explained how the technology aspect functioned, she gained more exposure and comprehension of how business processes operated.

The four training sessions provided ‌program attendees to get an assisted jumpstart into automation skills, with all the resources and guidance available. Whether they aimed to become citizen developers or RPA developers alike. No less than ten UiPath Community Most Valuable Professionals held live sessions and office hours, walking the trainees through their first automations with Studio and StudioX, while also providing role models and upskilling advice as to their fresh start in the automation journey. The sixteen mentoring sessions focused on both technical and soft skills. The sessions were led by industry experts with UiPath employees and UiPath Community MVPS as mentors, who provided hands-on experience and valuable insights. The mentoring sessions provided attendees with one-on-one guidance and support, helping them to build their skills and confidence in a personalized setting.

Women in Automation 2023 sets the foundations of a vibrant community powered by women automation leaders and experts. Open to all who wish to learn and collaborate while supporting and inspiring each other. We aim to continue it as a journey of common upskilling, pushing the boundaries of innovation and gender representation in the automation industry.

We kindly thank all the women leaders, trainers and mentors that decided to join us on this initiative of pushing and bridging the gender biases and gaps in the industry, by offering their stories, expertise and support to all the women wishing to embark on this journey and start an automation career.

If you resonate with our intention and wish to embark on our dedicated Women in Automation community, you can start right away by following virtually the program journey and accessing our dedicated Forum threads to meet fellow community members and our program trainers and mentors.

Don’t be shy to say ‘Hi!’ And ask for advice whether it is training, or career-related. This program is just our starting point to prove that, with the right resources and guidance, women can thrive in the automation industry, where there's no gender or social hinderance to development opportunities.

Co-authored by Cristina Vidu, Senior Manager, Marketing Community at UiPath