Why North Carolina Tech Companies Can't Afford to Ignore Early Career Investment in Women

Written By: Andrea Mohamed, COO at QuantumBloom

North Carolina has earned its reputation as the #1 state for women in technology, with women comprising 37.7% of the tech workforce, which is well above the national average. Yet even in our progressive tech ecosystem, a troubling pattern persists: 20% of women with STEM degrees pivot out in their very first year (LinkedIn Economic Graph), and by age 30, only 32% remain in STEM jobs (Economics of Education Review).

For North Carolina's 18,000+ tech companies competing in an increasingly tight labor market, this early-career exodus represents a significant economic threat.

The Business Case for Early Career Retention

The Research Triangle Park faces higher turnover rates compared to many tech hubs across the country (Mercer), making retention particularly important for our region. When you consider that the cost of replacing an employee can be several times their salary when accounting for lost productivity, knowledge drain, and direct recruiting and rehire costs, the financial impact becomes clear.

The numbers are even more stark when we zoom out recognizing that 76% of women with engineering degrees and 62% of women with computer science degrees don't work in their fields (Pew Research Center). With STEM jobs growing 3 to 5 times faster than all other occupations (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics), we simply cannot afford to lose this talent.

Gen Z Changes the Equation

Today's early-career professionals enter the workforce with different expectations than previous generations. They've watched their parents struggle with burnout and unsustainable work-life balance. They're seeking employers who prioritize belonging, authenticity, and intentional career development, in addition to competitive salaries.

Traditional onboarding programs address logistics like how to submit expense reports and who sits where. But onboarding doesn't address the systemic challenges that drive women out of technical careers. It doesn't build the confidence needed to navigate male-dominated team dynamics. It doesn't provide strategies for advocating for yourself in performance reviews. And it certainly doesn't create the peer community that research shows is critical for retention.

Women accounted for only 28% of North Carolina’s 300,000 STEM jobs (EdNC) and many of those women are concentrated in the early stages of their careers. The question is how North Carolina's tech employers are creating the conditions to retain and promote these women over the long term.

What Research Tells Us Actually Works

The science is clear on what drives retention for women in STEM. Social Cognitive Career Theory identifies three critical factors. They include self-efficacy (confidence in ability to succeed), outcome expectations (understanding what success looks like), and personal goal-setting. Evidence-based early career support addresses all three:

Building Sustained Confidence: Research shows that women in STEM fields often have lower self-efficacy than male counterparts despite equal abilities. Leadership development programs that focus on "durable skills" help women build the confidence needed to thrive. And they should provide women sustained support over the critical first few years when confidence gaps compound, not one quick-hit workshops.

Providing Role Models and Mentors: Same-gender peer mentoring significantly increases women's sense of belonging, self-efficacy, and retention in technical fields. When women can see others who've navigated similar challenges successfully, they develop more positive expectations about their own career trajectory.

Creating Systemic Change: Supporting women is important but not sufficient. We also need to shift organizational culture. Programs that coach both participants and their managers create meaningful, lasting change in how teams operate.

Beyond Band-Aids: The Ecosystem Approach

The most effective retention strategies don't treat early-career support as an isolated training program. They create a comprehensive ecosystem that includes:

• Structured skill development that addresses the real workplace challenges women face, not generic leadership platitudes
• Peer community that provides psychological safety and authentic belonging
• Manager engagement that shifts team dynamics and creates more inclusive environments
• Low time commitment with high-impact touchpoints because early-career professionals are already overwhelmed
• Measurable outcomes that demonstrate ROI and allow for continuous improvement

The ROI of Getting It Right

Companies that invest in comprehensive early-career support see:

• Dramatic reduction in turnover costs often saving hundreds of thousands of dollars annually
• Improved employer value proposition that helps attract top talent in competitive markets
• Stronger leadership pipeline of diverse, promotion-ready professionals
• Increased innovation from diverse perspectives solving complex problems
• Enhanced reputation as an employer of choice in North Carolina's competitive tech landscape

For North Carolina tech companies competing for talent against both coastal tech hubs and other Triangle companies, the ability to retain and develop early-career women has become a competitive necessity.

The Path Forward

North Carolina's position as the #1 state for women in tech gives us a foundation to build on. But maintaining that leadership requires moving beyond surface-level initiatives to evidence-based, systemic solutions.

The early-career years are make-or-break. Women who receive comprehensive support during this critical window are far more likely to persist, advance, and eventually become the leaders who transform our industry. Those who don't often join the 68% who leave technical careers by age 30.

The call to action for tech leaders is clear. You need to invest in keeping the talent you've worked so hard to recruit or continue paying the extraordinary costs (financial and otherwise) of the early-career exodus.

Gen Z is watching. And they're deciding where to build their careers based on who's willing to invest in their success.

About QuantumBloom

QuantumBloom is a comprehensive professional development ecosystem specifically designed to support women in STEM careers. Founded by two visionary NC leaders and recognized as the Women in Tech Global 2024 "Most Impactful Initiative" winner, QuantumBloom offers evidence-based programs that address both individual skill development and systemic workplace change. QuantumBloom is helping companies across industries—from semiconductors to pharmaceuticals to fintech—build the inclusive, innovative workforces of the future.

Learn more at www.quantumbloom.com or contact grow@quantumbloom.com

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