Across core policy areas such as diversity, education, AI and climate change, the BCS' focus on influencing IT's defining debates continues to grow. Claire Penketh, Senior Press Officer, reports.
During the last quarter of 2022, BCS continued its mission to make a career in tech relevant and accessible to all by launching its annual Diversity Report in late October 2022.
According to an analysis by BCS and Coding Black Females, black women remain under-represented in the sector and face barriers to progression, such as a lack of flexible working, career development support and a strong 'tech bro' culture in some organisations.
Whilst black women make up 1.8% of the UK workforce, they only account for 0.7% of IT professionals. For black women to be truly represented in IT, there needs to be 20,000 more within the sector.
The three-part study analysed Labour Force Survey data from the ONS, sought views from over 350 black women working in tech and conducted in-depth interviews to create a picture of the prevailing inclusivity challenges. The findings were widely covered in the national media, from the BBC to the Daily Mail and The Register.
Various stakeholders, including the Office for AI, also published and celebrated the data. There was also a strong attendance at the report's official launch at our London office, which was also live-streamed.
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