It's Not About Whom You Train: An Analysis of Corporate Education in Software Engineering

A new study from researchers Rodrigo Siqueira and Danilo Monteiro Ribeiro challenges conventional wisdom about corporate training in software engineering. Analyzing survey data from 282 Brazilian professionals across 243 variable combinations, the research found that mandatory participation was the dominant factor affecting perceptions of training quality, influencing 24 out of 27 measured items. This suggests that how training is delivered matters more than who receives it.

The study revealed several counterintuitive findings: personal profile variables like gender, age, and education level showed no significant impact on training perception, despite the sample including 23% women. Instead, professional trajectory variables—specifically experience level and area of work—produced localized differences. Engineers with 3-6 years of experience showed a "low-engagement zone," while advanced technical roles reported significant gaps in soft skills training availability.

Perhaps most importantly, the absence of gender differences in training perception suggests that diversity barriers operate before training begins—in hiring and representation—rather than during the learning experience itself. This has significant implications for how companies approach both their training programs and their broader diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in technical fields.