Gender and IT employment

There were 420,000 female IT specialists in the UK workforce during 2023 - 21% of the total at that time. As illustrated in the chart below, the level of female representation in IT has increased slightly over the past five years but remains well below the level observed within the workforce (48%).

Trends in workforce representation (2019-23)

Source: Analysis of ONS Quarterly Labour Force Survey by BCS

If the level of representation for female workers in IT specialist positions was equal to that amongst the working age population during 2023, there would have been an additional 550,000 in IT roles in the UK.

Representation across the UK

Amongst the UK nations/regions, the East Midlands and the South-East of England were those with the lowest level of female representation amongst IT specialists in 2023 (with women accounting for 16% and 18% respectively of all IT specialists in these two regions). By contrast, Scotland and the South-West displayed the best ‘gender balance’, with women accounting for 26% and 25% respectively of IT specialists in these areas.

Workforce Gender representation by nation/region (2023)

Source: Analysis of ONS Quarterly Labour Force Survey by BCS