The proportion of women in the tech profession has risen to 22%, but needs to grow far quicker to meet the UK’s AI skills targets, according to new research by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
The one percent increase on last year, means half-a-million women remain ‘missing’ from specialist tech roles, who would be there if it enjoyed equal representation with the general workplace.
BCS, the professional body for IT, is urging government and industry leaders to focus on closing the gap, to help meet the upskilling ambitions set out in its AI Opportunities Action Plan.
BCS’ 2025 Gender Diversity in the Tech Sector Report, is backed by forewords from Allison Gardner MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on AI, and Samantha Niblett MP, Member of the Science, Tech, and Innovation Select Committee.
Both MPs say that by narrowing the gender gap in tech, the UK can be a global leader in designing AI systems which reflect society accurately and fairly.
There is a significant opportunity to ‘supercharge’ the AI capacity of the UK workforce by recruiting from groups that are minorities in tech, the BCS report found. That also means the over 50s and those with disabilities, who are also under-represented in IT, as well as women.
Key findings from the report include:
- 441,000 women work as UK IT specialists, 22% of the profession.
- Black women represent only 0.6% of IT specialists.
- Women earn 12% less per hour than men in IT roles.
- Part-time working amongst women in tech is extremely low – 3% of IT female IT specialists compared with 12% in other occupations.
- Equal gender representation means adding 530,000 more women to the tech workforce.
The report’s recommendations to close the gap, based on the analysis of ONS data, were informed and supported by BCS Women and Coding Black Females.
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These include ensuring that digital literacy and computing is embedded across the curriculum and supports girls to stay engaged beyond age 14; investment in programmes supporting and promoting women to switch or return to tech careers; action on the gender pay gap; adopting independent professional and ethical standards across the tech industry; expanding flexible and part-time routes to senior roles; and cultural change and active allyship from male leaders.
Sharron Gunn, CEO of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said: "Accelerating the numbers of women in tech roles is both a challenge, and an opportunity for every organisation building Britain’s digital future. We cannot create high-trust, high-integrity AI systems if the profession behind them is missing out on the talents and perspective of half the population. Diversity is not a cosy add on but a prerequisite for safe, fair and innovative technology, especially in AI.”
In her foreword, Allison Gardner MP, Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for AI added: “As we build the foundations of a new AI profession, we have an extraordinary opportunity, and responsibility, to make it truly representative of the society it serves. Artificial intelligence will shape our economy, our public services, and the way we live. But if the people designing, coding, and governing it do not reflect the full diversity of our country, we risk embedding bias into its very architecture.”
Professor Sue Black OBE, Founder of BCS Women also said: "For decades, women have driven some of the biggest technological breakthroughs in history. The data in this report shows an incremental trend for women to see a tech career as a means to change the world. But we need to supercharge that growth, and fast. We can surface amazing role models but we also need to reshape workplace culture so diverse voices are valued. When women thrive in tech, innovation thrives."
Jo Stansfield, CEO of Inclusioneering, and BCS Women Vice-chair said: “It is encouraging to see a long-term movement towards better representation of women in tech. But we need to see a step-change in the rate of progress if we are to make meaningful change within the lifetime of the current workforce.
“Women and under-represented communities in tech continue to face barriers at every stage of their careers. Government and industry must prioritise solutions that foster a culture of inclusion - one that not only creates equitable opportunities for its workforce, but builds a trusted, competent, and ethical profession that serves the needs of society.”
