Three quarters of women from lower socio-economic backgrounds were not encouraged to pursue a career in the tech industry, and 83% of women from lower socio-economic backgrounds were not taught coding in school, a new study by Code First Girls and NatWest on the gender and class gap in the tech industry shows.
Highlighting gender parity in tech
Code First Girls (CFG), the UK’s largest provider of free coding courses and employment opportunities for women, has today released a report in partnership with NatWest, highlighting the barriers stifling social mobility and gender parity in the tech industry, as well as providing key insights to help close the gender and socio-economic gap in the sector, and empower communities.
The report, entitled, ‘How to Empower Minority Groups with Economic Opportunities by Building Diverse Tech Teams’ includes exclusive new data from a survey of more than 1,200 women.
Slowing social mobility
While the UK’s tech job market is predicted to grow six times to be worth £30bn by 2025, CFG estimates that as things stand there will only be one qualified woman for every 115 roles. Social mobility is also a major issue in the tech industry with the proportion of employees from working class backgrounds measuring only 19%, compared to 33.3% across other industries.
However, the industry is uniquely placed to make a real difference to social mobility given its low barriers to entry, multiple avenues into the profession and high pay. Previous research suggests achieving gender parity in tech could add £2.6bn to the economy, while increasing social mobility across sectors could benefit the economy by up to £45bn.
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CFG found that the barriers women face in technology start at school and continue right through their educational and employment pathway, with women from lower socio-economic backgrounds facing a significant number of obstacles to get ahead. Amongst those who went to state-funded schools, “lack of confidence”, “male domination/ sexism” and “preconception that it’s an industry for men” were all listed as the biggest barriers to entry for women in tech. Furthermore, more than three-quarters of respondents who had received free school meals said that they had experienced imposter syndrome in their jobs.
Discovering tech later in life
Despite not being encouraged into tech at school, many women find themselves considering a career in the sector in later life. CFG has taught 80,000 women to code, with 80% of its students coming from non-STEM backgrounds – 49% of these are career switchers.
The report found that adopting equal pay initiatives, supporting STEM school initiatives, and offering female mentorship were seen by women who attended state school as the top three ways that organisations can encourage more women into technology. Respondents also pointed to flexible working hours, access to educational programmes and upskilling, as key to fostering a culture of inclusivity.
The report’s publication follows the news that Code First Girls has closed a £4.5m Series A fundraise from female angel investors and a leading investment firm to accelerate the company’s growth and close the gender gap in the traditionally male-dominated tech industry.
The company’s goal is to provide £1bn in economic opportunities for women entering the tech industry in the next five years.
