PowerToFly Learned a TON from Microsofts Women Leaders

PowerToFly Learned a TON from Microsofts Women Leaders On September 25th PowerToFlys Director of Customer Success Cristina Duke and Talent Advocate Megan Alexander flew to Bellevue in Washington to host a special evening with the women business technology leaders from the Microsoft Azure AI Platform organization.Microsoft speakers at the darbietung includedRia Kapila, Chief of StaffAniththa Umamahesan, Program ManagerJulie Stevenson, Data ScientistSindhura Bandhakavi, Principal Software Engineering ManagerSophia Liu, Data ScientistVinitra Swamy, Software EngineerHeres some glowing feedback we heard from attendeesAfter this event with Microsoft I learned that work life balance really exists at this companyIt was a great event There is a clear need for networking events like this. I learned a lot about Azure team and felt like I had a great opportunity to connect with the members of the team and Microsoft recruiters in general. My favorite part was a panel format with QA. Extremely we ll organized right from Parking, to providing nametags, notebooks, and a wide selection of Hors doeuvres.Microsoft is hiring Visit their page on PowerToFly to learn more about their open roles. About Microsoft Azure AI Platform Microsofts objective is to make Azure AI the best platform for 1st and 3rd party customers. We want to enable our customers to easily develop systems of intelligence anywhere in the Azure cloud, on edge devices, and offline. ur customers expect our services to deliver the promise of the cloud that is, to deliver globally available, compliant, secure, performant, scalable AI that can be deployed in high-volume enterprise applications. Through teamwork we create life-changing innovations that impact billions of lives around the world for the better. To learn more about our values and commitment to Diversity, Environment and Innovation click here. Meg and Cristina from PowerToFly arrive at Microsoft Ready fo r the event A great crowd of experienced women in tech. Ria Kapila, Chief of Staff, Microsoft AI Platform A look at our impressive panel. Our panel answered questions from the audience. The event concluded with plenty of time to network. Related Articles Around the Web Microsoft Corporation One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats anal yzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supporte d by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2p According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ( $71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.