The UK government has announced a new package of initiatives aimed at boosting women’s participation in the technology sector, including a £4 million program to help hundreds of women into technology careers and inspire thousands of school students to pursue digital careers.
The measures are part of a wider strategy aimed at tackling the ongoing gender imbalance in the technology industry, where women remain significantly under-represented despite the sector’s rapid growth and importance to the UK economy.
Ministers say the initiatives are designed to help women enter, stay in and return to technical careers, while encouraging more girls to consider a career in technology earlier in their education.
The focus of the announcement is the new TechFirst Women’s program, supported by £4 million in government funding. The aim of the program is to create at least 300 paid jobs in technology roles across the UK.
The program will work with companies, including small and medium-sized businesses, to identify opportunities for women to gain experience in areas such as software development, digital engineering, data science and artificial intelligence.
Participants receive career coaching, interview preparation and technical assistance to help them secure roles and advance in the industry.
The government hopes that the initiative will not only help individuals advance their careers, but also support companies looking to adopt new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, by giving them access to skilled workers.
Ministers say the program addresses a significant economic problem. Research suggests the UK loses between £2 billion and £3.5 billion every year due to women leaving the tech sector.
In addition to the placement program, the government is launching a pilot repatriation program to help experienced developers return to work after a career break.
The initiative will initially be implemented within government departments, including the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Justice.
The program is aimed at qualified software developers who have been unemployed for at least 18 months, a group that includes many women who take time off from work to care for children or family members.
Participants will be supported to return to senior technology roles in the public sector, with the aim of overcoming what many experts call the “resume gap”, which can prevent experienced workers from returning to their careers.
Officials say that if successful, the program could later be expanded to other departments or the private sector.
The government is also trying to address the gender gap earlier in the talent pipeline through a new national technology competition aimed at female students.
Later this year, thousands of girls ages 12 and 13 will be invited to participate in the TechFirst Girls Competition, a nationwide initiative designed to introduce students to coding, artificial intelligence and digital problem solving.
The competition challenges participants to use technology to develop creative solutions to real-world problems, while providing insight into how digital skills translate to future careers.
Technology company IBM will work with the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Technology to implement the program.
The initiative builds on previous efforts such as the CyberFirst Girls Competition, which has already seen more than 10,000 students take part across the UK.
As part of the wider policy initiative, the government’s Women in Tech Taskforce has launched a call for evidence to better understand the challenges women face when entering or progressing in the technology industry.
The consultation will gather insights from workers, businesses and industry associations on topics ranging from hiring practices to workplace culture and career development.
The taskforce will also examine how new technologies such as artificial intelligence could increase existing inequalities.
Research has already shown that AI systems trained on historical employment data can reproduce previous biases. For example, some recruiting algorithms have been found to favor male candidates over female applicants when evaluating job applications.
Officials say gaining real-world experience will help shape future policy aimed at making the tech sector more inclusive.
Announcing the scheme, Technology Minister Liz Kendall said women continued to face significant barriers in the industry.
“I am acutely aware of the reality that women face in the tech industry: women are not given fair opportunities, whether it is getting into the industry, staying in it, or returning after a break,” she said.
“If we don’t address these biases and barriers now, we will still be having this conversation in 10 years.”
Kendall said the government wants to ensure women not only enter the industry but also shape its future.
“These are not warm words, they are real jobs, real internships and real paths back into working life through a door that has been too difficult to open for too long.”
Industry representatives welcomed the announcement but stressed that long-term structural change is needed to close the gender gap in technology.
Anna Brailsford, chief executive of Code First Girls and member of the Women in Tech Taskforce, said improving access to training and career opportunities could change lives.
“Many women who have moved into tech started their careers unsure whether they belonged in the industry and are now thriving in influential roles,” she said.
“The UK’s ambition to be a leader in technology can only be realized if more women from non-tech backgrounds see a clear and supported route into the sector.”
The government hopes the new measures will help strengthen the UK’s technology workforce at a time when demand for digital skills continues to grow rapidly across industries, from finance and healthcare to manufacturing and artificial intelligence development.
