The Great Female Tech Exodus: Why Women Are Leaving - and Why NOW Is the Worst Time to Go

Women are leaving tech in droves. And according to gender equity expert Emma Jones, this couldn't be happening at a worse time. We're standing at the edge of the AI revolution, the biggest workplace transformation in history, and women are walking away from the very sector that will define the next decade of work. Not because they can't do the job. Not because they lack the skills. But because the system was never designed for them in the first place. In this raw and urgent conversation, I sit down with Emma Jones, founder of Project F and creator of T-EDI Standards (Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Standards for the Technology Sector). Emma has spent over 25 years in technology talent acquisition, working across the UK, US, and Australia, and she's seen firsthand how systemic bias quietly pushes women out of the industry, no matter how talented, driven, or passionate they are. ____________ ✨The Bold Move: Build Confidence & Re-Invent Your Career in the Age of AI✨ 📚 The Bold Move: https://www.theboldmovebook.com ____________ Connect with Georgie: 🔵 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiehubbard/ 🟪 Instagram: http://instagram.com/georgielhubbard ♦️Website: https://www.georgiehubbard.com 🌀Pivotr: https://www.pivotr.com ____________ Connect with Emma: 🔵 LinkedIn: Find Emma Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msjonesinsydney/ ♦️Project F: https://www.projectf.com.au/ 🟣 T-EDI Standards: https://www.tedistandards.com/ ____________ In today’s episode: 🟣 The 1967 Study That Changed Everything: How one flawed research report created the "nerdy guy" stereotype and locked women out of tech for decades. 🟣 It's Not a Pipeline Problem—It's a Drop-Off Crisis: Why women aren't failing to enter tech; they're leaving mid-career because workplaces aren't designed for them to thrive. 🟣 The First Female Engineer Story: Emma shares the heartbreaking moment a talented woman thought she was only hired because she was female—and what that revealed about systemic barriers. 🟣 AI is the Reset We've Been Waiting For: Why women's hesitation around AI isn't weakness—it's wisdom. And why ethical, human-centred AI adoption is women's competitive edge. 🟣 Build Equity Into Your Operating Model: The one change every leader must make to stop women from leaving—and how to hold teams accountable for inclusion. 🟣 Parental Leave as a Systemic Lever: Why equalising parental leave isn't just good for families—it's one of the fastest ways to close the gender gap in tech. 🟣 The T EDI Standards: Australia's first national framework for gender equity in tech—and how it's designed to create accountability at scale. 🟣 Stop Thinking Job Titles, Start Thinking Skills: How to map your transferable skills, future-proof your career, and stay relevant in an AI-driven world. 🟣 Why Women Must Stay in Tech: The next generation needs role models. If you leave now, you're not just walking away from your career—you're closing the door for others.