The British Computer Society (BCS) has highlighted significant delays in tech gender and diversity equality.
- Achieving gender parity in the tech industry may take up to 300 years, says BCS.
- Women currently account for less than a quarter of the UK IT workforce, despite being 51% of the working-age population.
- Unemployment rates for female tech workers surpass those of their male counterparts.
- The persistence of ‘tech bro culture’ continues to impede progress for women, especially women of colour.
The British Computer Society (BCS) has expressed concerns over the sluggish progress in achieving gender and diversity equality within the tech industry. According to the BCS, if current trends persist, it could take almost 300 years to achieve equal gender representation in the tech sector. Julia Adamson, managing director for public benefit at the BCS, underscored the ongoing nature of these discussions around equal opportunities for people of varying genders and ethnicities within tech.
Latest findings from BCS reveal a stark disparity between the genders within IT professions. While women make up 51% of the UK’s working-age population, they comprise less than 25% of the IT workforce. This indicates a significant underrepresentation that reflects larger systemic issues within the sector.
Furthermore, the unemployment rate for women in the tech industry stands at 2.5%, which, although is lower than the national average for women at 3.8%, is higher than that for men in tech, which is 1.8%. This distinction highlights additional hurdles women face within the industry.
Addressing specific challenges faced by women of colour, CEO of Coding Black Females, Charlene Hunter, articulated that the entrenched ‘tech bro culture’ exacerbates these disparities. Hunter stated that hiring practices focusing on ‘cultural fit’ often overlook the critical need for inclusivity and diversity.
Effective measures such as flexible working policies and blind recruitment have been recognised as essential in mitigating these challenges and fostering a more inclusive tech environment.
The persistent challenges in tech industry diversity underscore the need for more focused and accelerated efforts to achieve equality.
