Get to know the perspective of this Chilean engineer with more than 40 years in the information technology industry, who has managed to combine her technical knowledge with the ability to develop innovative solutions for changing times that speak of Cloud and AI.
Mónica is one of the historical protagonists of the evolution of the IT and technology industry. She trained at the University of Chile and is one of the founders of TLine Chile, a consulting and information technology services company that guarantees operational continuity, with a presence in Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, the United States and Chile. She comes from a family marked by a solid matriarchy, when her mother was widowed and raised her family (Mónica, 5, and Francisco, 7 years old). This is how Mónica developed the desire to become a woman, without ever leaving aside the idea of being a professional.
A lover of mathematics since she was a child, she had the support of her environment to set goals and achieve them at the cost of discipline and effort.
The statistics on the gender gap in IT are not encouraging in Chile. Despite the sustained efforts of many women like Monica, it is estimated that no more than 30% of women participate in technological careers and this percentage decreases when it comes to taking senior management and decision-making positions.
Monica Cardenas, Founding Partner and General Manager of TLine Chile.
«Male opinion on a technological issue is still better received than if it comes from a woman»
In fact, the study «Gender X-ray 2023» by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, shows that at a global level (OECD, World Economic Forum and UN Women), the percentage of women with degrees in STEM training areas by 2022 in Chile was only 8%, being one of the countries with the lowest percentage among OECD members (which average 16%).
In the same sense, according to the fourth Report on Gender Indicators in Companies in Chile published in 2023, the female presence on company boards increased from 13.2% in 2021 to 14.7% in 2022. Although the participation of women on boards continues to be lower than the OECD average (28%), it does show an increase in female participation in senior management positions, both in the public and private sectors.
What do you think is the reason for this low participation in senior management positions in IT?
Indeed, in technology or science careers there are fewer women, that has been historic. There are much fewer women in those studies than in other humanities or arts studies, for example.
As for leadership skills, I would say that there is more confidence in the male side than in the female side. Although there are exceptions of female referents, the truth is that even the male opinion on a technological issue is better received than if it comes from a woman. In general, I think that women think twice about giving their opinions, as they might feel that they are considered less capable.
«Knowledge and confidence go beyond gender, but socially, a mistake made by women is more prominent than by men»
How could we close the gap in the technology sector?
I think it is a process and we are certainly better off than when I started in 1980. It is natural for the sector to evolve and improve female participation, but according to gender studies by the Ministry of Science, we still have 120 years to achieve equality. This goes beyond deadlines, policies and participation quotas, it is about a cultural change and breaking paradigms.
Do you define yourself as a technological woman?
That is, I think that in life one acquires tools and knowledge, but the roadmap is dynamic, whether due to opportunities or personal choices. I started out dedicated to computing, but later I was in the commercial part. I don’t deny that change in the least, since I acquired skills in both roles, and I believe that knowing the pains of organizations from a technical perspective allowed me to think and propose more effective solutions. This dual experience helped me a lot when we founded TLine, since I have been on both sides of the same coin and have managed to lead diverse work teams. I would like to define myself more as an entrepreneur, because I believe that it is the dream of many to have a company in which you can do what you like.
Do you think there is female talent in Chile from a technical perspective?
Yes, in any case there is an important capacity of women to work and lead teams in different ecosystems. I think that women also have a greater capacity for resilience in the face of the labor market, to reinvent themselves without dealing with ego. A woman can move in a labor market in a much simpler way, while men tend to have certain standards that do not allow them to see other opportunities.
As for technical skills, I do not think they have to do with gender, but rather with personality characteristics and leadership styles, which involve rigor and discipline.
How do you see these trends in other Latin American countries?
I interact with other women in IT positions in the Latin American region and in fact we have discussed anecdotes with peers from Brazil and Costa Rica, for example. And the feeling is the same. It is much simpler for us women to talk among women regarding technological strategy, than to talk about it in a mixed way. We do not need to validate each other. A feeling of sisterhood naturally arises.
What aspects do you see in the new generations of ICT women?
Nowadays, young people in general, both men and women, have different projections and expectations. When I left university, one did not think about going on a sabbatical year or whatever after university, one went out and started working. Today, however, there are more opportunities to travel abroad or to do a postgraduate degree as soon as you graduate. Perhaps that influences the flight of Chilean talent, both in men and women.
Technologies are a very attractive, dynamic field, in permanent expansion that forces us to continue updating ourselves, and that is also challenging for the younger generations, not to mention that technologies are transversal to all disciplines.
And what about equality in work spaces?
It is still more common for a woman to ask for permission to take care of a child or to take care of her parents, than for a man to do so. Caregiving remains a preponderant responsibility for women, although I think that the pandemic and teleworking have changed the dynamics of responsibilities at home a little more.
What factors do you think influenced your STEM vocation? (acronym in English referring to science, technology, engineering and mathematics)
I think that I was exposed from birth to a tremendous role model in my mother, a very strong woman who got ahead and left the bar quite high for me and my brother. Being the daughter, I knew that when I grew up I had to be an independent person, that in life one must be totally autonomous, both emotionally and economically. I also learned that education and work are the best tools to improve oneself.
Later, at school I had a nun who gave me math classes and told me that I had a very open and clear mind to absorb numbers. Without a doubt she influenced my love for math and later my choice of engineering.
Over the years I have learned that you don’t have to pigeonhole yourself into a role or a certain job. You have to be willing to try new things.
What may seem like a descent at one minute always ends up offering us learning and new connections.
«Beginnings are often confused with failures, they involve many sacrifices, and as the saying goes: what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.»
