The Equal Opportunities Commission has urged the government
to implement a national strategy to persuade more women to take up
careers in IT.
The commission is concerned that employers will find it
increasingly difficult to find high-quality IT staff as the number
of women in the profession continues to dwindle.
The proportion of women in the IT workforce fell from a high of 23%
to 20% in 2003 - equivalent to 151,000 women out of a total
workforce of 985,000 - research by the Equal Opportunities
Commission reveals.
The equality watchdog has called for the government to create a
national strategy that will set clear targets for increasing the
number of women in IT and other male-dominated professions.
"This is a significant issue that affects everyone throughout the
economy. A workforce recruited from only half the potential source
of labour does not deliver the best workers," the Equal
Opportunities Commission said.
The commission pointed to the lack of flexible working hours and a
shortage of child care facilities as barriers to women entering the
IT profession. Workplace culture and the poor image of IT also act
as deterrents, it said.
The careers information and advice offered to young people often
reinforces gender stereotypes and fails to present the full range
of employment options open to men and to women in the technology
industry, the organisation said in a report published this
month.
The Equal Opportunities Commission urged the government to use the
Modern Apprenticeship programme, currently under-used by IT
employers, as a vehicle for encouraging more women into the
profession.