Women in Technology.

Breaking Down The Barriers

There is a new UK taskforce that promises to help women “enter, stay and lead” in the tech sector. The BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, recently suggested that only 22% of IT specialists are women and that it was important to close the gender gap. This Government Taskforce will be asking female leaders from tech companies and organisations to look at the barriers preventing gender equality in the workplace in order to help drive economic growth and create more diversity in the IT sector.

It is more important that ever that the tech sector is more representative so as the talents and perspectives of women are included; to build products that serve and benefit everyone, meet ambitious AI goals and make important and informed decisions about what comes next. Entry routes, progression to leadership, and access to capital prevent women from entering and developing a career in IT – equality is long overdue.

Working Together

The taskforce will be led by technology secretary Liz Kendall and Anne-Marie Imafidon, founder of Stemettes: “an award-winning social enterprise working to engage, inform and connect the next generation of women and non-binary people into Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM)”. stemettes.org.

Among the 15 founding members of the Taskforce are BT Group boss Allison Kirkby, Revolut chief executive Francesca Carlesi, Dr Hayaatun Sillem, chief executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, TUC assistant general secretary Kate Bell, director of public policy at Uber Emma O’Dwyer, and Sue Daley, director of technology and innovation at industry group techUK, who says: “Achieving gender equality is long overdue, and I am honoured to join the Women in Tech taskforce to chart a path forward for true gender equality.”

Find Out More

This blog is based on a BBC News article: UK launches taskforce to ‘break down barriers’ for women in technology. To read in full go to: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-taskforce.

The mission of the The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) is to ensure everyone’s experience with technology is positive. Go to www.bcs.org. They have over 70,000 members in 150 countries and aim to raise standards of competence and conduct across the IT industry, shape policy and influence change. The BCS offer guidance about careers and qualifications, provide a range of training programmes and share the latest ideas, opinions and perspectives about the IT industry on their Articles, Opinion & Research page.