There is zero programming in network engineering unless you are working with route maps. It is a lot easier to learn and apply in my opinion. I agree programmers are real geeks of IT. That is another reason why I would encourage women to pursue networking since it is easier to grasp and probably a lot less boring. It offers same benefits if you look for them: less interaction with clients, working from home, high pay, and relaxed hours.
I found programming to be very boring and to be honest, I could not sit there for hours writing codes.