Driving Digital Diversity: Understanding Perceived Barriers to a Career in Technology
In 2021, that number increased to nearly 33%. However, it appears that the tech sector is indeed falling behind. According to a report just 29% of UK tech workers are female or non-binary, and an even smaller proportion, 25%, are from minority ethnic groups. These figures drop further to 21% and 14% respectively for senior roles.
The UK’s digital economy, recently ranked as the most advanced in Europe, demands a technology sector with a diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) stance to match. A stronger focus on DE&I could help address the skills gap that costs the digital economy around £63 billion a year. It could also enable individual organizations to reach their full potential and outperform competitors through diversity of thought. However, achieving greater DE&I is a complex and time-consuming process that requires substantial investment, careful planning, and a firm commitment from corporate leadership. Cultural change is often slow, unconscious bias is widespread, and many hiring policies have remained unchanged for years.
The case for diversity is tested and proven
The moral and business case for improving DE&I in the workplace is well established.
Organizations should reflect the societies they serve, but it’s not just about fairness. Diverse teams and companies perform better because they bring a variety of perspectives and ideas. Almost a decade ago, McKinsey confirms that companies with diverse teams outperform their peers financially. The study of 366 public companies found that those in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity were 35% more likely to have financial returns above their national industry medians, and those in the top quartile for gender diversity were 15% more likely to have outperformance.
In the tech sector, the need for diversity is even more critical. Despite a spate of layoffs in 2022, the sector is growing rapidly, and companies are struggling to find enough talent to meet demand. According to one estimate, 93% of UK businesses report IT skills gapswith many citing the rapid pace of technological change as a critical driver. The most sought-after skills include AI (42%), IT support and troubleshooting (32%), and cybersecurity (30%).
The cybersecurity sector has a significant skills shortage, with a current deficit of almost four million qualified professionals globally. The UK alone needs an additional 73,000 IT security professionals. Encouraging a more diverse pool of candidates to pursue careers in technology and cybersecurity can help alleviate these skills challenges and boost DE&I. However, significant obstacles remain.
The importance of education
Our recent ‘Driving Digital Diversity’ research analyzed the perceived barriers to a career in technology. It revealed two critical obstacles that prevent more individuals from choosing a career in technology: education and stereotypes.
When asked about the biggest perceived barriers to pursuing a career in technology, respondents identified the following:
- Needing a degree in technology or IT (49%)
- Lack of technology or IT education in primary and secondary education (42%)
- Technology is not highlighted as an attractive or stimulating career in school (41%)
- Financial cost of pursuing a technology or IT education (29%)
- Lack of understanding of available opportunities (29%)
It’s clear that respondents’ educational background played a significant role in their decision not to pursue a career in technology. Many claimed that technology was not promoted as an attractive or exciting subject at school, if it was offered at all. However, this is changing. In 2023, 17% more students chose to study A-level computing than the previous year, although the vast majority (85%) were male.
Many respondents also felt they needed an IT degree to pursue a career in technology, despite many roles not requiring such qualifications. This misconception highlights the need for the tech industry to emphasize alternative pathways and soft skills like critical thinking and problem-solving in job applications. More companies are now offering internships and upskilling opportunities through often fully-funded bootcamps, such as Code School, Code Girls First, Coding Black Women It is Technology returns. Company-sponsored scholarships can also help make higher education more affordable.
Exploring the challenges faced by minorities
The study also reveals how barriers differ for minority groups. For example, Asian women are more likely to highlight a lack of technology education in primary and secondary school as the main obstacle to a career in technology (49%) compared to respondents overall (42%). They are also more likely to cite a lack of understanding of the opportunities available (33% vs. 29%), but are less likely to see money as a barrier (22% vs. 25%).
Respondents with an annual household income of less than £50,000 cite a lack of understanding about the opportunities available as a barrier (38% vs. 29%), but are less concerned about the need to live in a big city where tech companies are located (20% vs. 28%). However, neurodivergent men state a lack of technology education in primary and secondary school as their main barrier (47% vs. 42%) and are more likely to see the lack of people from similar backgrounds in the IT sector as a barrier (29% vs. 19%).
Despite these challenges, many minority respondents expressed a willingness to change careers to pursue a job in technology. This includes 90% of neurodivergent men and 73% of neurodivergent women, 81% of Asian men, and 86% of Black men and women.
Demonstrating that the technology sector has a significant opportunity to hire talent from this diverse group if it can quickly address these perceived barriers.
A stronger digital economy
There is still much to be done to address the root causes of the skills shortage and DE&I deficit in technology. Three-quarters (73%) of general respondents in our study believed the IT industry could do more to encourage job candidates from diverse backgrounds, rising to 83% of technology respondents and 90% of cybersecurity professionals. This challenge requires collaboration between the technology ecosystem, the education sector, and government.
We need a more effective curriculum, a wider range of internships and fellowships, and opportunities for hands-on experience to motivate and encourage interest in technology. Creating a diverse talent pipeline requires an inclusive environment that welcomes people from all walks of life, gender identities, races, ethnicities, religions, disabilities, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The technology industry should be a place for everyone.
The bottom line is that many perceived barriers to a career in technology simply don’t exist. It’s up to the industry to work with government and academia to dispel stereotypes, create excitement around the sector, and provide ample opportunities for interested individuals to get involved. Only by doing so can we build a more inclusive and thriving digital economy.
Theresa Palmer is Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence.
