Exclusive: Coding, kids, and the invisible double shift of tech mums

In an industry still heavily dominated by men, four Australian mothers are proving you can juggle a double shift of parenting and tech leadership, showing that motherhood doesn't have to limit professional ambition.

It comes as women currently make up less than 30% of Australia's technology workforce, despite representing almost half of the overall employed population - a disparity that persists across roles and seniority levels.

The gap widens in highly technical roles: with women filling just around 20 % of technically specialised jobs such as software engineering or AI research, and many leaving the field at a higher rate than their male counterparts.

Leadership representation also lags, with women holding fewer than one in six executive positions in tech companies.

TechDay sat down with four mothers, executives, and innovators to hear their stories.

May Mitchell, CMO at Qualys, says she has watched both her own career and the industry evolve over decades.

"Gender bias definitely still exists in tech, but it's getting better," she admitted. "Women make up about 25% of the tech workforce; in cybersecurity that number is slightly lower at 20%. And we're seeing these numbers creep up slightly year over year."

"In terms of women in leadership positions in tech (i.e., VP or CXO level) that number stands at around 10% currently. So, we are making progress but still have lots of room for growth," said Mitchell.

Mitchell's journey first began in development and quality assurance before moving into sales and business development, where she learned to navigate a male-dominated space and build partner relationships from scratch. She credits her mentors for helping her carve a path in technology.

"With mentors and sponsor leverage, it has been shown to increase your job satisfaction, strategic-level projects, more visibility, and lead to 20-30% higher compensation," she said.

Her personal life reinforces her professional perspective: both of her daughters are now pursuing careers in tech. "Tech is very much a part of our lives today, people cannot live without their mobile phones and various applications that help them work and live. The younger generation is also a lot more well versed in AI, learning and using AI tools," said Mitchell.

Mitchell stresses that visibility and role-modelling are crucial.

"For the next generation of women to succeed and progress in their careers, it is so important for women in leadership positions today to communicate, work with teams to outline career progression paths, and map out the roles and expectations to get to those goals," she added.

For Dominique Barker, Chief Information Officer at the Australian Institute of Family Studies, motherhood reshaped her sense of self while strengthening her professional focus.

"When you become a parent, it does change your identity and sense of self, you can feel like your independence has been compromised. At work you do get to carve out that space, and take some of that autonomy back," said Barker.

She finds profound meaning in aligning work with personal values. "I am very values focused, and one of the major points of intersection, working at the Australian Institute of Family Studies, is that I also feel like I am 'using my tech skills for good' and contributing to Australian families, this is a great feeling and I sleep very well at night!"

Motherhood has helped spark Barker's problem-solving skills and her approach to leadership.

"I'm good at knowing which problems to solve, this helps you focus on what actually matters, and where you should spend your time. Leadership is a lot like parenting: fostering a sense of agency and empowerment in staff also applies at home - getting my kids to take ownership or responsibility for certain tasks, or the household just doesn't run!"

She also challenges the stereotype that mothers must put careers on hold.

"While it is definitely hard to do both, it's a lot easier now to fulfil your career goals alongside a family. Technology is definitely an industry where there is flexibility in how we work. We have less cultural baggage than some of the more traditional vocational paths. This makes it a great place for women who want families and a career to thrive," said Barker.

Tanya Hyams-Young, CEO of SourseAI, sees motherhood as a lens that has sharpened her leadership.

"Motherhood keeps you relevant in a way nothing else can. You're constantly tuned into what the next generation is thinking, learning, and navigating, and that perspective is invaluable in tech," said Hyams-Young.

When asked whether she feels mothers are expected to juggle everything perfectly, she described it as "a bit of a myth".

"It's not about juggling everything perfectly; it's about building the right support around you. At home, at work, everywhere, you collaborate, you lean on people, and you have to trust them. That's actually what makes you a better leader," she said.

Hyams-Young also sees emotional intelligence as a superpower cultivated through parenting. "Mums are constantly adjusting context and priorities across two very important worlds. That ability to shift, stay present, and still move things forward is absolutely a leadership superpower," she added.

For her, family and work are intertwined, rather than competing spheres.

"I care deeply about the people I work with, and I lead my team with the same sense of responsibility and care I bring to my family. There's something incredibly satisfying about contributing to people's lives in both spaces. My team feels like an extension of my family, and that makes the work feel meaningful every day," she added.

Rucha Sawant, Executive and Regional Practises Lead at Avanade Australia, says she knows what it's like to be the only woman in the room.

"To me, quiet isolation isn't always about being ignored; it's about the lack of mirrored experiences," said Sawant.

She has also faced what she calls "Translation Exhaustion." "You aren't just translating your thoughts into code or executive conversations; you're often translating your cultural nuances, your accent, or your perspective into a 'standard' that was built without you in mind. Lastly, there is always a subconscious fear that your personal failure might be viewed as a systemic failure of your 'group,'" Sawant added.

Instead of waiting for acceptance, she built her own space. "I stopped waiting for a seat at the table and started building my own. I realised that belonging isn't a permission slip someone gives you; it's a space you create. I chose projects and teams where impact outweighed stereotypes and outcomes were the currency that mattered," said Sawant.

Her experience as a mother brings urgency to her work. "I want to ensure that by the time my daughters enter the workforce, they aren't praised for their 'resilience' in surviving a male-dominated field; I want them to be celebrated for their brilliance in a balanced one," she said.

Sawant also highlights the importance of equitable technology. "I am particularly concerned by the 'AI Gender Gap.' We cannot allow Generative AI to become a new wall. We need to bridge the trust gap and ensure women aren't just users of technology, but the architects of the algorithms that govern our futures," said Sawant.

These four women demonstrate that motherhood does not limit ambition - it can reshape it, sharpen it, and give it purpose.

They are proving that parenthood and innovation can go hand in hand, and in doing so, they really are coding the future.