Author: Fiona Sweeney, Partnerships Director at Women in Data®
Women in Data® works with our community, our partners, organisations, and legislators to achieve gender parity in the Data and Tech industries. As part of our mission, we review and evaluate the opportunities and barriers that exist, and we work tirelessly to attract and retain more women to the industry.
In the UK, the number of individuals employed in STEM (excluding medicine) is 9.7 million of which only 25% are women. Statistics from the most recent government workforce data indicates that the STEM sector is continuing to grow at a rapid rate, with more than 1 million additional STEM jobs created over the last 7 years. However, the representation of women is persistently low. For every 4 men that join the data science and AI professions there is .68 of a woman. Whilst there has been a gradual increase in female representation, at the current pace of change we will not see equal representation in STEM until the year 2070. In the occupations most relevant to what are known as critical technologies (AI, Machine Learning, Blockchain, Cybersecurity) this percentage is even less. The demand for these skills is obviously increasing and yet women still do not see themselves as part of this vibrant, future proofed and well-paid ecosystem. It is not just a matter of attraction. In Tech, over 50% of women leave the industry by the midpoint of their career, more than double the rate of men. They are not necessarily leaving the workforce but are choosing to move to sectors where they feel valued, have career progression and the flexibility to manage their disproportionate caring responsibilities. Women are not joining the industry and women are not staying in an industry that is growing quickly –one which already has a problematic skills gap.
Addressing this imbalance is the right thing to do on many levels and this is not just an issue of ethics, it is a business imperative. If we do not fix this inequality, individuals, industry, and society will not optimise the benefits from the new digital and AI economy. The UK is already falling behind in world rankings in the percentage of STEM graduates with 26%, compared to countries like Malaysia at 43.5% and Tunisia at 40% according to the World Economic Forum.
Attracting more women into data and analytics requires a multifaceted approach that addresses several different aspects, from education and training to workplace culture. The most common pathway to a career in Data is through degree level qualifications in primarily STEM subjects. Our annual State of the Nation (SOTN) report shows that almost 90% of individuals working in Data and Technology have an academic degree (Primary, Masters or PhD).
Percentage of women v men in STEM degrees
Source: STEM Women 2024
We are seeing more entry level opportunities opening up through apprenticeships—driven primarily through the introduction of apprenticeship levy. In 2022, there were 98,000 STEM based apprenticeships available. However, to be eligible for many of the level 5 and above data apprenticeships, applicants are typically expected to achieve three A-Levels—two of which must be at grade C or above and one of which must be in a STEM subject. But there is a noticeable gap between girls and boys that study STEM subjects beyond GCSE (35% of girls and 80% of boys).
So even if we open up more pathways, we will still not attract enough women as they are alienated and effectively disenfranchised by their subject choices even before they finish school.
Our belief at Women in Data® is that we need to start in schools to ensure that girls understand the pathways that are available and inspire them to consider a career in data and analytics. We call for schools and educators to encourage the participation of girls in maths post GCSE and to give more insight and advice to ensure that students see the full range of careers are available in data and tech—and how exciting and purpose driven they can be. We also call for the government to review its evaluation methods so that schools do not discourage STEM participation because top grades are not so attainable.
To play our part in the promotion of STEM in schools, Women in Data® has launched Girls in Data—a registered charity—to develop a curriculum for schools called ‘The Inspiration Sessions’. The process of delivery is very simple, yet hugely powerful. We recruit our members—we already have over 7,000 hand raisers and focus on girls aged 14-15. We then train the volunteers to deliver the four-part curriculum and connect each volunteer to a school. They go to the sessions, not just to train the young adults but to be role models, bringing their personal stories to inspire the students.
The aspiration is that the assigned Woman in Data will stay connected and help build a data first mindset in the school year on year.
The curriculum is grounded in deep research to understand the attitudes and motivations of girls at this age and has been developed by teachers and experts in the field. We undertook original research that used neuroscience response focusing on what girls and boys feel, not what they say or think. The analysis was conducted using an advanced online surveying approach which measures implicit reaction time (IRT), rather than traditional tick box questionnaires. IRT captures people’s immediate, intuitive, gut responses, which are often very different from what they say. By utilising this advanced research technique Women in Data® were able to tap into children’s true emotions and feelings and thus build the curriculum based on our key findings.
Most satisfyingly, our Brand Partner organisations are actively involved in the programmes. Organisations like Admiral Insurance and Asda are using their volunteering days and data teams to outreach into their communities to inspire girls in their local schools. Knight Frank, another Brand Partner, is taking the curriculum to underserved schools in areas of greater depravation in Mumbai, India.
The Girls in Data initiative is working on so many levels:
- Our members are honing their presentation and delivery skills through the process
- Our corporate partners are utilising their volunteering days to make a tangible difference in their community outreach
- We have already taken several thousand girls through the curriculum, and we have only just started
- We are working in schools in under-served communities to support both students and parents
- We are amplifying the issue of skills gaps for the critical technologies
- We are delivering tangible, measurable solutions to move the dial of female parity in the data and tech sectors.
And most importantly we are creating an army of role models to lead the change across the world.
At the other end of the career lifecycle, female attrition is a major issue in Data & Tech. Although the overall percentage of women in the sector is 25%, the percentage of women in leadership roles is less than 20%. Most organisations are failing to meet their own targets for female senior leadership and today 50% of women are still leaving the data and technology sector by the midpoint in their career. Yet having more senior female leaders is essential to drive innovation, improve business performance, foster inclusion, attract and retain talent and better meet the needs of customers.
Businesses with gender balanced leadership teams universally acknowledged to be more profitable. According to McKinsey & Co, “Companies in the top quartile for board-gender diversity are 27 % more likely to outperform financially than those in the bottom quartile”.
To ameliorate the lack of senior leadership situation, Women in Data® has recently launched LEAP- the leadership equity acceleration programme. The initiative is designed to harness the unique strengths and perspectives of women to accelerate their advancement into senior leader positions This programme will not just upskill talent but help create an enhanced presence for themselves and their organisation in the Data and AI community.
The syllabus will inspire, educate, and equip delegates with the skills and confidence needed not just to thrive in leadership roles, but to drive the cultural change necessary to exploit the opportunity that data and AI present.
The 16-week programme features a dynamic blend of…
- interactive structured workshops (live and virtual)
- coaching and tutor support, with a dedicated cohort sponsor
- insightful lectures from industry leading role models
- networking and community connection
…designed for female emerging leaders in data and technology ready to take the next step into formal senior leadership.
The Alumnae will become strong business leaders as well as data leaders to ensure that the organisation benefits from a better alignment between the Data Office and other functions.
Whether at the start or the end of a career, more pathways, representation and role modelling are critical to gender equity in the Data and Tech sectors. If you want to find out more about Girls in Data, the LEAP Leadership Programme or any of the other Women in Data® initiatives, please message us on Hello@womenindata.co.uk