Written by: on September 6, 2024
By Anthony Brown, Early Careers Manager, BAE Systems Digital Intelligence
Over the past five years, some necessary progress has been made in corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) efforts, but we’re still far off where we need to be. This is especially true of the tech sector. One recent report has found that only 29% of UK tech workers are women or non-binary, and even less, 25%, belong to ethnic minority groups. Unsurprisingly, these percentages are smaller for senior roles – falling to 21% and 14% respectively.
At the same time, the sector needs more talented people. While the UK’s digital economy is growing fast, it is still experiencing a skills gap that costs us an estimated £63 billion annually. A greater focus on DE&I could help to address this problem by enabling more people to enter and stay in the sector.
In fact, the case for DE&I is well established. Morally, our tech sector should be representative of society – the people using technology. And there is also a strong business case. A more diverse and inclusive workforce can bring different ideas, perspectives and approaches to the table, making organisations more likely to find solutions to challenges and boost results. McKinsey revealed companies leading the way in racial and ethnic diversity in executive teams are over a third more likely to see financial returns above their national industry medians.
Despite all of DE&I’s proven benefits, though, the tech sector is failing to attract a diverse range of candidates. Key challenges remain, and understanding the scale of the problem is key to taking action.
That’s why, in our recent research report, we explored factors that could be stopping people from pursuing tech careers. We polled people working inside and outside the UK’s tech and cyber security sectors with a diverse range of characteristics and backgrounds, including those of varied age ranges, socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnic groups, genders, and from neurodivergent communities.
The resulting data illustrated five key areas which respondents believe are putting students off pursuing jobs in the sector:
It is apparent that people’s younger years play a pivotal role in influencing how they view tech careers. There’s a misconception that an IT orientated degree is necessary to enter the industry, when many tech roles do not require a degree level qualification. Industry has a big role to play here, through better showcasing alternative routes into tech and placing a greater focus on softer, transferrable skillsets in job applications. Other ways to enter the industry beyond traditional degree-based education do exist. More businesses now offer apprenticeships and upskilling opportunities, often through fully-funded bootcamps such as School of Code, Code First Girls, Coding Black Females and Tech Returners.
Education was also cited as a key factor that could prevent people pursuing tech roles. Many said there was a lack of tech or IT education at primary and secondary school, and that tech was not highlighted as an attractive career path. While a more effective curricula is needed, organisations like InnovateHer are partnering with technology organisations to help address gaps in tech education at a school level, empowering young girls and non-binary students to break stereotypes and envision a future in the sector. And when it comes to higher education, company-sponsored scholarships can also help make higher education more affordable.
People are hyper-aware that change is needed. In our study, three-quarters (73%) of overall respondents believed the IT industry could do more to encourage job applicants from different backgrounds, increasing to 83% of tech respondents and 90% of cyber security professionals.
Addressing the root cause of tech’s diversity deficit is complex, but by no means impossible. It will require a collective effort, involving industry working with the wider tech ecosystem, including government, the education sector and specialist social enterprises. Together, we need to rethink the curricula, offer more apprenticeship and scholarship options, and engage with people of all ages to create a buzz around tech roles. We need to demonstrate that the tech industry is open to everybody, creating an inclusive environment that celebrates people from all walks of life, gender identities, races, ethnicities, religions, disabilities, sexual orientations, neurodivergent communities and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Promisingly, the appetite to enter the industry is there. The majority of minority respondents we surveyed said they were prepared to take the leap into tech – in particular, 90% of neurodivergent men and 86% of Black women, saw opportunities within the sector. Now, we need to show that many of these perceived barriers to entry do not exist. We need to collaborate to dispel misconceptions, outline the opportunities and illustrate alternative routes into the industry. This way, we can create a diverse talent pipeline – and in turn, set our digital economy up for sustainable success.
Visit our Driving Digital Diversity page to download our reports on ‘Understanding the perceived barriers to a career in tech’ and ‘Alternative routes into tech’. Keep an eye out for the next report in the series exploring ‘Tech talent retention’ – coming soon!
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