Women in IT still face a long journey to get parity with men
The IT sector still has a lone way to go to achieve gender equality, report says
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Nearly three centuries. That’s how long it would take for female representation in IT to achieve parity with men’s, according to a new report by theChartered Institute for IT (BCS).
The study compares growth from previous years to determine that, with the same trajectory, it will be well into the 2300s before women and men in IT are measured equally.
The BCS also compares the IT sector to other key sectors across the UK, as well as taking a look into representation by region.
IT sector diversity is lagging
The report reveals that, if the level of representation for female workers in IT specialist positions was equal to that amongst all of the working age population, there would have been more than half a million (527,000) additional workers in 2022.
Within the IT sector, a clear north-south divide becomes apparent. Only 16% of the workers were located in the North East of England, while 23% came from the South East. One in five (19%) women in IT were also located in London. Wales, another region that suffers, only accounted for 17% of the women in IT.
Still, more women are entering the tech sector, with the proportion rising four percentage points between 2018 and 2021, or more than 1% annually. What’s more troubling is that the figure now barely exceeds one in five workers, with no growth observed between 2021 and 2022.
Julia Adamson, BCS Managing Director for Education and Public Benefit, said: “Having greater diversity means that what is produced is more relevant to, and representative of, society at large. This is crucial when it comes to, for instance, the use of AI in medicine or finance.”
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
Adamson also noted the high number of schoolchildren dropping IT at age 14 (94% of girls and 79% of boys), which suggests that the IT sector will continue to struggle for both women and workers more generally amid a growing skills shortage.
Clearly, initiatives to incentivize more students to specialize in IT are needed to help the UK remain technologically competitive and to push for more diversity and parity, whether through the provision ofonline learningopportunities, funding, or any other suitable measure.
More from TechRadar Pro
With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!
Best secure file transfer solution of 2024
Best lightweight Linux distro of 2024
Outlook users warned not to open more than 60 emails — otherwise their software will crash
