Why should women pivot to digital?

Why is this taskforce needed?

The financial and professional services and tech sectors in the UK are experiencing significant vacancies in digital roles, which has a direct impact on the sector’s ability to adopt new technologies. It is imperative that the FPS sector adopts and integrates new technology to remain competitive in the global landscape. Through attracting and reskilling the untapped talent pool of women from non-technical backgrounds to meet the needs of this growing job market, there is an opportunity to support greater UK growth and innovation.

-25% of UK employees in AI and data science are women

Despite the high vacancy rates, in the artificial intelligence and data science fields, less than 25% of employees are women, according to the Alan Turing Institute. Additionally, women are more likely to be in lower wage and less technical roles compared to men. 

According to Makers, a training provider for digital roles, if we wait for girls to come through traditional university pathways, it would take 50 years to achieve gender equity in the digital workforce.

For years, organisations have recognised the need to address the lack of equity in technology and digital sectors. Despite efforts to close this gap, significant challenges remain, particularly concerning skills shortages and the underrepresentation of women. Reskilling women and underrepresented groups is a cost-effective solution to the current digital skills shortage. Businesses that invest in this talent pool see long-term returns in productivity, innovation, and employee retention. 

Why are we focusing on mid-career women pivoters? 

The Taskforce focuses on women (including people who identify as a woman or non-binary) with over five years of non-technical workforce experience that already have transferable skills which will enable them pivot to new roles.  

There are excellent existing initiatives and organisations focused on entry level talent and encouraging girls under age 18 to study STEM, but there are few existing programmes that focus specifically on women at the mid-career level despite the benefits these women provide to the workforce.  

Women with workforce experience bring a wealth of in-demand transferable skills that employees from more-traditional routes may lack, including skills like empathy and communication.  

Providing women with the opportunity to upskill and reskill internally into digital roles can lead to higher retention, greater employee satisfaction, and company loyalty.  Moreover, hiring women from other sectors can bring fresh perspectives and diverse experiences, enriching the workplace culture and driving innovation. 

While many organisations focus on attracting women into entry-level positions, it’s important to address the statistic that only 14% of women in tech roles are at mid-career level, according to a Deloitte 2023 Report. This gap highlights the need for targeted initiatives to support their advancement and ensure that they are represented at all levels of the industry. 

More resources that have helped inform the work of the Women Pivoting to Digital Taskforce.  

Tech Talent Charter (2024) - Diversity in Tech Report - Revealing the latest diversity and inclusion statistics and practices. This report is based on more than 700 tech employers across the UK, spanning 90 industries and accounting for 230,000 tech employees.   

Tech Talent Charter (2023) - Attrition in Tech Report - understanding the causes of why women leave tech jobs and the tech sector. Providing an updated perspective on women's experience in the UK tech landscape and the factors that influence them to leave the field. 

Tech Talent Charter and Code First Girls - D & I for Tech leaders   - provides practical recommendations to help tech leaders hire, retain, and advance women in technology roles. It covers the barriers women face in the tech workforce, strategies to build inclusive cultures, and offers insights into neurodiversity, ethnic diversity, and fair progression practices in tech. 

The Alan Turing Institute - Solving the AI Skills Gap 

The Alan Turing Institute (2021) – Where are the Women? Mapping the Gender Gap in AI  -  

techUK- Fast Forward for Digital Jobs   - highlighting the urgent need to address the UK's digital skills gap by promoting tech careers and boosting digital training. It calls for collaboration between industry, government, and education to ensure an inclusive and diverse workforce, offering practical recommendations to expand access to digital jobs.