While the UK tech sector continues to grow rapidly, one vital measure of progress remains slow – gender diversity.
The recently published BCS Gender Diversity in the Tech Sector Report 2025 paints a clear and data-driven picture of where we stand and where urgent action is still needed.
The report also included recommendations from Jo Stansfield on behalf of BCS Women and Coding Black Females.
Key findings found:
- Women made up 22% of UK IT specialists in 2024, which is a 1% increase year-on-year. This translates to 441,000 women working in tech roles, but if representation matched the wider workforce (where women make up 49% of those in work), the sector would need around 530,000 more women.
- Representation varies dramatically by role: women account for only about 6% of IT engineers, but around 30-34% in roles like project management and web development.
- Intersectional inequality is stark: Black women make up just 0.6% of IT specialists – a figure that has barely shifted and highlights deeper structural barriers.
These figures don’t just represent numbers. They signal a significant loss of talent, perspective, and innovation potential at a time when the UK is striving to lead in AI and digital transformation.
The data also reveals troubling patterns around workplace dynamics and conditions:
- Women in tech are much more likely to work part-time than men (13% vs 3%), yet overall part-time roles in tech lag far behind other sectors.
- The gender pay gap is significant – female IT specialists earned 12% less per hour than male counterparts in 2024.
- Women are underrepresented in engineering, technical leadership, and high-paying specialist roles, suggesting systemic barriers to progression rather than a lack of talent or desire.
These patterns undermine both the fairness of career opportunities and the sector’s ability to attract and retain diverse talent, particularly crucial at a time when digital skills are in critical demand.
Turning Insight into Action: What the Report Recommends
With clear data outlining the gaps, the report also offers practical recommendations for change:
- Plant and Nurture Early
We must rethink how computing and digital skills are introduced at school. Reforming the curriculum to make it more engaging and future- focused (especially beyond age 14), could help retain girl’s interest and confidence in tech careers. Teachers also need ongoing support to recognise and counteract unconscious bias in the classroom. - Close the Pay and Progression Gap
A 12% pay gap reflects underrepresentationin senior and high-pay technical roles. The industry must prioritise transparent pay practices and clear, supported pathways to leadership so women can progress and stay in tech careers. - Support Black Women in Tech
Black women face intersectional barriers that compound gender inequality. Focused interventions such as mentorship, leadership training, and supportive networks are essential to amplify voices, and create space for growth that isn’t limited by bias or exclusion. - Standardise Fair Practice
Recruitment, career progression, and professional development must be guided by inclusive, transparent frameworks, not solely dependent on individual managers. Utilising best practices and common standards (e.g recognised skills frameworks) can foster fairness and accountability. - Improve Work-Life Balance
Flexible and part-time working options must expand. These are not perks, they are career enablers, especially for women balancing work and caring responsibilities. Cultural shifts are needed to move away from entrenched ‘tech bro’ norms and towards inclusive workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Matters
Beyond fairness, diversity in tech is a strategic imperative for innovation, competitiveness, and ethical technology development.
AI systems and digital products built by homogeneous teams are more likely to perpetuate bias, overlook user needs, and fail to serve the whole population. Representation in design and decision-making isn’t optional – it’s essential for building trustworthy and inclusive technology.
The 2025 BCS report should be a call to action – to educators, employers, policymakers – and leaders across the tech ecosystem.
If the UK is serious about meeting its digital skills targets and its potential in emerging fields like AI, then these gaps cannot remain.
